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At least 163 records · Page 9

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NASA NTRS1995

Direct Numerical Simulation of Transitional and Turbulent Flow Over a Heated Flat Plate Using Finite-Difference Schemes

The work in this report was conducted at NASA Ames Research Center during the period from August 1993 to January 1995 deals with the direct numerical simulation of transitional and turbulent flow at low Mach numbers using high-order-accurate finite-difference techniques. A computation of transition to turbulence of the spatially-evolving boundary layer on a heated flat plate in the presence of relatively high freestream turbulence was performed. The geometry and flow conditions were chosen to match earlier experiments. The development of the momentum and thermal boundary layers was documented. Velocity and temperature profiles, as well as distributions of skin friction, surface heat transfer rate, Reynolds shear stress, and turbulent heat flux were shown to compare well with experiment. The numerical method used here can be applied to complex geometries in a straightforward manner.

Madavan, Nateri K.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Effects of Mesh Irregularities on Accuracy of Finite-Volume Discretization Schemes

The effects of mesh irregularities on accuracy of unstructured node-centered finite-volume discretizations are considered. The focus is on an edge-based approach that uses unweighted least-squares gradient reconstruction with a quadratic fit. For inviscid fluxes, the discretization is nominally third order accurate on general triangular meshes. For viscous fluxes, the scheme is an average-least-squares formulation that is nominally second order accurate and contrasted with a common Green-Gauss discretization scheme. Gradient errors, truncation errors, and discretization errors are separately studied according to a previously introduced comprehensive methodology. The methodology considers three classes of grids: isotropic grids in a rectangular geometry, anisotropic grids typical of adapted grids, and anisotropic grids over a curved surface typical of advancing layer grids. The meshes within the classes range from regular to extremely irregular including meshes with random perturbation of nodes. Recommendations are made concerning the discretization schemes that are expected to be least sensitive to mesh irregularities in applications to turbulent flows in complex geometries.

Diskin, Boris↗

NASA NTRS1986

Multiple grid problems on concurrent-processing computers

Three computer codes were studied which make use of concurrent processing computer architectures in computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The three parallel codes were tested on a two processor multiple-instruction/multiple-data (MIMD) facility at NASA Ames Research Center, and are suggested for efficient parallel computations. The first code is a well-known program which makes use of the Beam and Warming, implicit, approximate factored algorithm. This study demonstrates the parallelism found in a well-known scheme and it achieved speedups exceeding 1.9 on the two processor MIMD test facility. The second code studied made use of an embedded grid scheme which is used to solve problems having complex geometries. The particular application for this study considered an airfoil/flap geometry in an incompressible flow. The scheme eliminates some of the inherent difficulties found in adapting approximate factorization techniques onto MIMD machines and allows the use of chaotic relaxation and asynchronous iteration techniques. The third code studied is an application of overset grids to a supersonic blunt body problem. The code addresses the difficulties encountered when using embedded grids on a compressible, and therefore nonlinear, problem. The complex numerical boundary system associated with overset grids is discussed and several boundary schemes are suggested. A boundary scheme based on the method of characteristics achieved the best results.

Eberhardt, D. S.↗

NASA NTRS1992

A two-dimensional Euler solution for an unbladed jet engine configuration

A two dimensional, nonaxisymmetric Euler solution in a geometry representative of a jet engine configuration without blades is presented. The domain, including internal and external flow, is covered with a multiblock grid. In order to construct this grid, a domain decomposition technique is used to subdivide the domain, and smooth grids are dimensioned and placed in each block. The Euler solution is verified by examining five theoretical properties. The result demonstrates techniques for performing numerical solutions in complex geometries and provides a foundation for complete engine throughflow calculations.

Stewart, Mark E. M.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Unsteady Analysis of Turbine Main Flow Coupled with Secondary Air Flow

Two numerical approaches are used to model the interaction between the turbine main gas flow and the wheelspace cavity seal flow. The 3-D, unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations are solved with a CFD code based on a structured grid to study the interaction between the turbine main gas flow and the wheelspace cavity seal flow. A CFD code based on an unstructured grid is used to solve detailed flow feature in the cavity seal which has a complex geometry. The numerical results confirm various observations from earlier experimental studies under similar flow conditions. When the flow rate through the rim cavity seal is increased, the ingestion of the main turbine flow into the rim seal area decreases drastically. However, a small amount of main gas flow is ingested to the rim seal area even with very high level of seal flow rate. This is due to the complex nature of 3-D, unsteady flow interaction near the hub of the turbine stage.

Hah, Chunill↗

NASA NTRS1995

Direct numerical simulation of transitional and turbulent flow over a heated flat plate using finite-difference schemes

This report deals with the direct numerical simulation of transitional and turbulent flow at low Mach numbers using high-order-accurate finite-difference techniques. A computation of transition to turbulence of the spatially-evolving boundary layer on a heated flat plate in the presence of relatively high freestream turbulence was performed. The geometry and flow conditions were chosen to match earlier experiments. The development of the momentum and thermal boundary layers was documented. Velocity and temperature profiles, as well as distributions of skin friction, surface heat transfer rate, Reynolds shear stress, and turbulent heat flux, were shown to compare well with experiment. The results indicate that the essential features of the transition process have been captured. The numerical method used here can be applied to complex geometries in a straightforward manner.

Madavan, Nateri K.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Loci-STREAM Version 0.9

Loci-STREAM is an evolving computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software tool for simulating possibly chemically reacting, possibly unsteady flows in diverse settings, including rocket engines, turbomachines, oil refineries, etc. Loci-STREAM implements a pressure- based flow-solving algorithm that utilizes unstructured grids. (The benefit of low memory usage by pressure-based algorithms is well recognized by experts in the field.) The algorithm is robust for flows at all speeds from zero to hypersonic. The flexibility of arbitrary polyhedral grids enables accurate, efficient simulation of flows in complex geometries, including those of plume-impingement problems. The present version - Loci-STREAM version 0.9 - includes an interface with the Portable, Extensible Toolkit for Scientific Computation (PETSc) library for access to enhanced linear-equation-solving programs therein that accelerate convergence toward a solution. The name "Loci" reflects the creation of this software within the Loci computational framework, which was developed at Mississippi State University for the primary purpose of simplifying the writing of complex multidisciplinary application programs to run in distributed-memory computing environments including clusters of personal computers. Loci has been designed to relieve application programmers of the details of programming for distributed-memory computers.

Wright, Jeffrey↗

NASA NTRS2004

On the Use of Parmetric-CAD Systems and Cartesian Methods for Aerodynamic Design

Automated, high-fidelity tools for aerodynamic design face critical issues in attempting to optimize real-life geometry arid in permitting radical design changes. Success in these areas promises not only significantly shorter design- cycle times, but also superior and unconventional designs. To address these issues, we investigate the use of a parmetric-CAD system in conjunction with an embedded-boundary Cartesian method. Our goal is to combine the modeling capabilities of feature-based CAD with the robustness and flexibility of component-based Cartesian volume-mesh generation for complex geometry problems. We present the development of an automated optimization frame-work with a focus on the deployment of such a CAD-based design approach in a heterogeneous parallel computing environment.

Nemec, Marian↗

NASA NTRS1999

A Three-Dimensional Coupled Internal/External Simulation of a Film-Cooled Turbine Vane

A three-dimensional Navier-Stokes simulation has been performed for a realistic film-cooled turbine vane using the LeRC-HT code. The simulation includes the flow regions inside the coolant plena and film cooling holes in addition to the external flow. The vane is the subject of an upcoming NASA Glenn Research Center experiment and has both circular cross-section and shaped film cooling holes. This complex geometry is modeled using a multi-block grid which accurately discretizes the actual vane geometry including shaped holes. The simulation matches operating conditions for the planned experiment and assumes periodicity in the spanwise direction on the scale of one pitch of the film cooling hole pattern. Two computations were performed for different isothermal wall temperatures, allowing independent determination of heat transfer coefficients and film effectiveness values. The results indicate separate localized regions of high heat transfer coefficient values, while the shaped holes provide a reduction in heat flux through both parameters. Hole exit data indicate rather simple skewed profiles for the round holes, but complex profiles for the shaped holes with mass fluxes skewed strongly toward their leading edges.

Heidmann, James D.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Exploring Unstructured Mesh Adaptation for Hybrid Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes/Large Eddy Simulation

Mesh adaptation methods for the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations are rapidly maturing and beginning to impact the design of aerospace vehicles. RANS turbulence modeling improvements have slowed and may stagnate. Wall-modeled large eddy simulation (LES) and hybrid RANS/LES (HRLES) may provide an improved modeling capability but require specialized expertise to construct appropriate meshes and are considered be too ex-pensive for routine practical use. The realization of the CFD Vision 2030 Study includes improving geometry linkage, mesh generation/adaptation, and turbulence modeling/resolving methods for automated management of errors and uncertainties of physics-based, predictive modeling that can set the stage for ensuring a vehicle is in compliance with a regulation or specification (i.e., certification or qualification by analysis). An exploration of mesh adaptation for HRLES is performed to document synergies and challenges between mesh adaptation and HRLES. Vortex breakdown over a delta wing is examined to show the improvement of HRLES over RANS turbulence modeling approaches. A high lift configuration is shown to demonstrate complex geometry capability. Research and development opportunities are identified to advocate for continuing investments that may allow HRLES to enter routine practical use as a tool for aerospace vehicle analysis and design.

Michael A Park↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

New Capabilities and Improvements to the High-Order Glenn Flux Reconstruction Code

The Glenn Flux Reconstruction (GFR) code is a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code under development at NASA Glenn Research Center. GFR is based on the high-order flux reconstruction (FR) method and provides a large-eddy simulation (LES) capability that is both accurate and efficient for complex aeropropulsion flows. Three significant new capabilities have been added to the code that improve its performance and functionality. First, a variety of explicit Runge-Kutta methods, including some with adaptive time stepping, were added to GFR with two methods offering a 33% improvement in time-to-solution. Second, GFR can now utilize fully unstructured, mixed-element meshes to more easily facilitate the grid generation process for complex geometries. Finally, a rotating reference frame capability has been added to GFR for solving rotating turbomachinery problems. A selection of results demonstrating these new capabilities are presented in this work. The Taylor-Green vortex problem is used to verify the new unstructured capability by showing similar accuracy and resolution for all element types. LES of the Turbulent Heat Flux Phase III (THX3) experiment with comparison to another high-order LES code and a popular Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) code demonstrates the accuracy of the code for complex aeropropulsion flows. Finally, LES of a spacecraft cabin ventilation fan shows the ability of GFR to efficiently establish a fan performance map and identify operating points for further analysis at high orders of accuracy.

High-Order Methods↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

New Capabilities and Improvements to the High-Order Glenn Flux Reconstruction Code

Direct Numerical Simulations↗

NASA NTRS2003

Gust Acoustic Response of a Single Airfoil Using the Space-Time CE/SE Method

A 2D parallel Euler code based on the space-time conservation element and solution element (CE/SE) method is validated by solving the benchmark problem I in Category 3 of the Third CAA Workshop. This problem concerns the acoustic field generated by the interaction of a convected harmonic vortical gust with a single airfoil. Three gust frequencies, two gust configurations, and three airfoil geometries are considered. Numerical results at both near and far fields are presented and compared with the analytical solutions, a frequency-domain solver GUST3D solutions, and a time-domain high-order Discontinuous Spectral Element Method (DSEM) solutions. It is shown that the CE/SE solutions agree well with the GUST3D solution for the lowest frequency, while there are discrepancies between CE/SE and GUST3D solutions for higher frequencies. However, the CE/SE solution is in good agreement with the DSEM solution for these higher frequencies. It demonstrates that the CE/SE method can produce accurate results of CAA problems involving complex geometries by using unstructured meshes.

Scott, James↗

NASA NTRS2006

Metallurgical Mechanisms Controlling Mechanical Properties of Aluminum Alloy 2219 Produced by Electron Beam Freeform Fabrication

The electron beam freeform fabrication (EBF3) layer-additive manufacturing process has been developed to directly fabricate complex geometry components. EBF3 introduces metal wire into a molten pool created on the surface of a substrate by a focused electron beam. Part geometry is achieved by translating the substrate with respect to the beam to build the part one layer at a time. Tensile properties demonstrated for electron beam deposited aluminum and titanium alloys are comparable to wrought products, although the microstructures of the deposits exhibit cast features. Understanding the metallurgical mechanisms controlling mechanical properties is essential to maximizing application of the EBF3 process. Tensile mechanical properties and microstructures were examined for aluminum alloy 2219 fabricated over a range of EBF3 process variables. Unique microstructures were observed within the deposited layers and at interlayer boundaries, which varied within the deposit height due to microstructural evolution associated with the complex thermal history experienced during subsequent layer deposition. Microstructures exhibited irregularly shaped grains with interior dendritic structures, described based on overall grain size, morphology, distribution, and dendrite spacing, and were correlated with deposition parameters. Fracture features were compared with microstructural elements to define fracture paths and aid in definition of basic processing-microstructure-property correlations.

Domack, Marcia S.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Transonic Navier-Stokes wing solutions using a zonal approach. Part 2: High angle-of-attack simulation

A computer code is under development whereby the thin-layer Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations are to be applied to realistic fighter aircraft configurations. This transonic Navier-Stokes code (TNS) utilizes a zonal approach in order to treat complex geometries and satisfy in-core computer memory constraints. The zonal approach was applied to isolated wing geometries in order to facilitate code development. The TNS finite difference algorithm, zonal methodology, and code validation with experimental data is addressed. Also addressed are some numerical issues such as code robustness, efficiency, and accuracy at high angles of attack. Special free-stream-preserving metrics proved an effective way to treat H-mesh singularities over a large range of severe flow conditions, including strong leading edge flow gradients, massive shock induced separation, and stall. Furthermore, lift and drag coefficients were computed for a wing up through CLmax. Numerical oil flow patterns and particle trajectories are presented both for subcritical and transonic flow. These flow simulations are rich with complex separated flow physics and demonstrate the efficiency and robustness of the zonal approach.

Chaderjian, Neal M.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Modeling of Wall-Bounded Complex Flows and Free Shear Flows

Various wall-bounded flows with complex geometries and free shear flows have been studied with a newly developed realizable Reynolds stress algebraic equation model. The model development is based on the invariant theory in continuum mechanics. This theory enables us to formulate a general constitutive relation for the Reynolds stresses. Pope was the first to introduce this kind of constitutive relation to turbulence modeling. In our study, realizability is imposed on the truncated constitutive relation to determine the coefficients so that, unlike the standard k-E eddy viscosity model, the present model will not produce negative normal stresses in any situations of rapid distortion. The calculations based on the present model have shown an encouraging success in modeling complex turbulent flows.

Shih, Tsan-Hsing↗

NASA NTRS2004

On the Use of CAD and Cartesian Methods for Aerodynamic Optimization

The objective for this paper is to present the development of an optimization capability for Curt3D, a Cartesian inviscid-flow analysis package. We present the construction of a new optimization framework and we focus on the following issues: 1) Component-based geometry parameterization approach using parametric-CAD models and CAPRI. A novel geometry server is introduced that addresses the issue of parallel efficiency while only sparingly consuming CAD resources; 2) The use of genetic and gradient-based algorithms for three-dimensional aerodynamic design problems. The influence of noise on the optimization methods is studied. Our goal is to create a responsive and automated framework that efficiently identifies design modifications that result in substantial performance improvements. In addition, we examine the architectural issues associated with the deployment of a CAD-based approach in a heterogeneous parallel computing environment that contains both CAD workstations and dedicated compute engines. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the framework for a design problem that features topology changes and complex geometry.

Nemec, M.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Frequency Domain Calculations Of Acoustic Propagation

Two complex geometry problems are solved using the linearized Euler equations. The impedance mismatch method1 is used to impose the solid surfaces without the need to use a body-fitted grid. The problem is solved in the frequency domain to avoid long run times. Although the harmonic assumption eliminates all time dependence, a pseudo-time term is added to allow conventional iterative methods to be employed. A Jameson type, Runge-Kutta scheme is used to advance the solution in pseudo time. The spatial operator is based on a seven-point, sixth-order finite difference. Constant coefficient, sixth-derivative artificial dissipation is used throughout the domain. A buffer zone technique employing a complex frequency to damp all waves near the boundaries is used to minimize reflections. The results show that the method is capable of capturing the salient features of the scattering, but an excessive number of grid points are required to resolve the phenomena in the vicinity of the solid bodies because the wavelength of the acoustics is relatively short compared with the size of the bodies. Smoothly transitioning into the immersed boundary condition alleviates the difficulties, but a fine mesh is still required.

Lockard, David P.↗