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Results for “boundary-layer stability”

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 19 records

Heat-transfer and Boundary-layer Transition on a Heated 20 Degree Cone at a Mach Number of 1.53

Heat-transfer data from supersonic wind-tunnel tests of a heated 20 degree cone are compared with theoretical results obtained by the method for determining the convective heat transfer in laminar boundary layers in a compressible fluid developed by Hantzche and Wendt and with the method presented in NACA TN No. 1300. The experimental data are also compared with the results obtained by Eber at the Kochel Laboratory in Germany and it is found that Eber's results correspond to those obtained with a turbulent boundary layer on the cone. The results provide a qualitative verification of the effect of heat transfer on laminar boundary-layer stability that has been predicted theoretically by Lees in NACA TN No. 1360.

FLOW, TURBULENT↗

Pressure recovery, drag, and subcritical stability characteristics of conical supersonic diffusers with boundary-layer removal

A study of two 20 degrees half-angle, low mass-flow ratio conical supersonic inlets with cone boundary-layer bleed was made on a 16-inch ram-jet engine in the Lewis 8- by 6-foot supersonic wind tunnel. A greater stable subcritical range of operation was obtained with the bleed inlets than with the corresponding inlet without boundary-layer bleed. The drag added by the bleed system was small.

Obey, Leonard T↗

On the three-dimensional instability of laminar boundary layers on concave walls

A study is made of the stability of laminar boundary-layer profiles on slightly curved walls relative to small disturbances that result from vortices whose axes are parallel to the principal direction of flow. The result is an eigenvalue problem by which, for a given undisturbed flow at a prescribed wall, the amplification or decay is computed for each Reynolds number and each vortex thickness. For neutral disturbances (zero amplification) a critical Reynolds number is determined for each vortex distribution. The numerical calculation produces amplified disturbances on concave walls only.

FLOW, LAMINAR↗

The stability of the laminar boundary layer in a compressible fluid

Report is a continuation of a theoretical investigation of the stability of the laminar boundary layer in a compressible fluid. An approximate estimate for the minimum critical Reynolds number, or stability limit, is obtained in terms of the distribution of the kinematic viscosity and the product of the mean density and mean vorticity across the boundary layer. The extension of the results of the stability analysis to laminar boundary-layer gas flows with a pressure gradient in the direction of the free stream is discussed. (author)

Lees, Lester↗

General instability criterion of laminar velocity distributions

The present paper describes the results of a stability investigation on symmetrical velocity profiles in a channel and of boundary-layer profiles. The effect of friction was assumed to be vanishing and did not occur in the stability consideration so far as it had been resorted to for preparatory asymptotic considerations. Proceeding on very general premises as regards the form of the velocity distribution, a proof was deduced of the elementary theorem that velocity profiles with inflection points are unstable.

Tollmien, W↗

Wind-Tunnel Tests of a 1/5-Scale Semispan Model of the Republic XF-12 Horizontal Tail Surface

Wind-tunnel tests of a 1/5-scale semispan model of the Republic XF-12 horizontal tail surface equipped with an internally balanced elevator were conducted in the 6- by 6-foot test section of the Langley stability tunnel. The tests included measurements of the aerodynamic characteristics of the horizontal tail with and without a beveled trailing edge and also included measurements of the tab characteristics. The variation of the aerodynamic characteristics with boundary-layer conditions and leakage in the internal-balance chambers, measurements of the boundary-layer displacement thickness near the elevator hinge axis, and pressure distributions at the mean geometric chord were also obtained. The results showed that the hinge-moment characteristics of the elevator were critical to boundary-layer conditions and internal-balance leakage. Increasing the boundary-layer displacement thickness by use of roughness strips reduced the rate of change of elevator hinge moments with tab deflection by about 20 percent. The present horizontal tail appears to be unsatisfactory for longitudinal stability with power on, however, an increase in horizontal-tail lift effectiveness should correct this difficulty. The maneuvering stick force per unit acceleration will be extremely critical to minor variations of the elevator hinge moments if the elevator is linked directly to the stick.

Denaci, H. G.↗

Data from Tests of a 1/5-Scale Model of a Proposed High-Speed Submarine in the Langley Full-Scale Tunnel

Tests of a 1/5 scale model of a proposed 153-foot high-speed submarine have been conducted in the Langley full-scale tunnel at the request of the Bureau of Ships, Department of the Navy. The test program included: (1) force tests to determine the drag, control effectiveness, and static stability characteristics for a number of model configurations, both in pitch and in yaw, (2) pressure measurements to determine the boundary-layer conditions and flow characteristics in the region of the propeller, and (3) an investigation of the effects of propeller operation on the model aerodynamic characteristics. In response to oral requests from the Bureau of Ships representatives t hat the basic data obtained in these tests be made available to them as rapidly as possible, this data report has been prepared to present some of the more pertinent results. All test results given in the present paper are for the propeller-removed condition and were obtained at a Reynolds number of approximately 22,300,000 based on model length.

Cocke, Bennie W.↗

Aerodynamic Study of a Wing-fuselage Combination Employing a Wing Swept Back 63 Degrees : Characteristics at a Mach Number of 1.53 Including Effect of Small Variations of Sweep

Measured values of lift, drag, and pitching moment at a Mach number of 1.53 and Reynolds numbers of 0.31, 0.62, and 0.84 million are presented for a wing-fuselage combination having a wing leading-edge sweep angle of 63 degrees, an aspect ratio of 3.42, a taper ratio of 0.25, and an NACA 64A006 section in the stream direction. Data are also presented for sweep angles of 57.0 degrees, 60.4 degrees, 67.0 degrees, and 69.9 degrees. The experimentally determined characteristics were less favorable than indicated by the linear theory but the experimental and theoretical trends with sweep were in good agreement. Boundary-layer-flow tests showed that laminar boundary-layer separation was the primary cause of the differences between experiment and theory.

REYNOLDS NUMBER EFFECTS - COMPLETE WING↗

The excitation of unstable perturbations in a laminar friction layer

With the aid of the method of small oscillations which was used successfully in the investigation of the stability of laminar velocity distributions in the presence of two-dimensional perturbations, the excitation of the unstable perturbations for the Hartree velocity distributions occurring in plane boundary-layer flow for decreasing and increasing pressure is calculated as a supplement to a former report. The results of this investigation are to make a contribution toward calculation of the transition point on cylindrical bodies.

BOUNDARY LAYER TRANSITION - EFFECT OF SURFACE ROUG↗

Aerodynamic characteristics of NACA RM-10 missile in 8- by 6-foot supersonic wind tunnel at Mach numbers from 1.49 to 1.98 I : presentation and analysis of pressure measurements (stabilizing fins removed)

Experimental investigation of flow about a slender body of revolution (NACA RM-10 missile) aligned and inclined to a supersonic stream was conducted at Mach numbers from 1.49 to 1.98 at a Reynolds number of approximately 30,000,000. Boundary-layer measurements at zero angle of attack are correlated with subsonic formulations for predicting boundary-layer thickness and profile. Comparison of pressure coefficients predicted by theory with experimental values showed close agreement at zero angle of attack and angle of attack except over the aft leeward side of body. At angle of attack, pitot pressure measurements in plane of model base indicated a pair of symmetrically disposed vortices on leeward side of body.

LOADS - FUSELAGE, NACELLES, AND CANOPIES↗

Behavior of turbulent boundary layers on curved convex walls

The system of linear differential equations which indicated the approach of separation and the so-called "boundary-layer thickness" by Gruschwitz is extended in this report to include the case where the friction layer is subject to centrifugal forces. Evaluation of the data yields a strong functional dependence of the momentum change and wall drag on the boundary-layer thickness radius of curvature ratio for the wall. It is further shown that the transition from laminar to turbulent flow occurs at somewhat higher Reynolds Numbers at the convex wall than at the flat plate, due to the stabilizing effect of the centrifugal forces.

Schmidbauer, Hans↗

Boundary-layer receptivity to oblique freestream vorticity waves for a high-enthalpy hypersonic flow

The receptivity of a Mach 15 straight-cone boundary layer to oblique freestream vorticity waves is investigated using direct numerical simulation (DNS) alongside linear stability theory and the linear parabolized stability equations. A thermochemical nonequilibrium gas model is used. Oblique freestream vorticity waves at frequencies of 400, 800, and 1200 kHz are considered, with incident angles ranging from 0° to 29.4° at 400 kHz, 0° to 15.7° at 800 kHz, and 0° to 20.6° at 1200 kHz. The 400 kHz case is of primary interest due to the strong second-mode amplification at this frequency. Although the underlying base flow is axisymmetric, the oblique vorticity waves lead to a fully three-dimensional boundary-layer disturbance whose characteristics vary depending on the azimuthal ray relative to the freestream wave. Moving downstream within the second-mode instability region, some clear trends emerge in terms of the boundary-layer disturbance amplitudes; that is, disturbance amplitudes are highest at the leeward ray (relative to the freestream wave), but weakest about halfway between the windward and leeward rays. Increasing the incident angle causes the amplitudes to increase on the leeward ray and decrease on the windward ray. Moreover, the boundary-layer disturbance throughout contains a wide spectrum of azimuthal wavenumbers in which the disturbance energy falls off at higher wavenumbers. Increasing the incident angle causes the azimuthal spectrum of the boundary-layer disturbance to broaden overall. Qualitatively similar results are found for the two higher frequencies leading up to the peak-amplitude locations corresponding to the second-mode instability.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Wind-Tunnel Tests of a 1/6-Scale Model of Republic XF-12 Vertical Tail with Stub Fuselage and Stub Horizontal Tail

A 1/6-scale model of the Republic XF-12 vertical tail with stub fuselage and stub horizontal tail was tested in the Langley stability tunnel to determine the aerodynamic characteristics of the model, The investigation included a study of the effects of boundarylayer thickness, rudder area, and cover-plate alinement on the aerodynamic characteristics. Tuft studies were made in the vicinity of the junction of the vertical and stub horizontal tails. The results of the investigation indicated that the flow in the vicinity of the junction of the vertical and stub horizontal tails was only slightly improved by the addition of a fillet. An increase in boundary-layer thickness produced a slight decrease in rudder effectiveness. The increase in lift of the combined rudders over that of the upper rudder alone was not proportional at low deflections and was approximately proportional at high deflections to the increase in rudder area. When the balance-chamber cover plates were bowed out, the change in rudder hinge moment with rudder angle was less negative. The variation of the lift coefficient with angle of attack and the variation, at small values of angle of attack, of rudder hinge-noment coefficient with angle of attack was approximately the same for all model configurations tested. The upper rudder used in conjunction with a tab was found to satisfy the Army specifications regarding asymmetric power on a multiengine airplane.

MacLachlan, Robert↗

Longitudinal Stability and Control Characteristics of a Semispan Wind-Tunnel Model of the XF7U-1 Airplane and a Comparison with Complete-Model Wind-Tunnel Tests and Semispan-Model Wing-Flow Tests

An investigation was conducted on an 0.08-scale semispan model of the Chance Vought XF7U-1 airplane in the Langley high-speed 7- by 10-foot tunnel in the Mach number range from 0.40 to 0.97. The results are compared with those obtained with an 0.08-scale sting-mounted complete model tested in the same tunnel and with an 0.026-scale semispan model tested by the wing-flow method. The lift-curve slopes obtained for the 0.08-scale semispan model and the 0.026-scale wing-flow model were in good agreement but both were generally lower than the values obtained for the sting model. The results of an unpublished investigation have shown that tunnel-wall boundary-layer and strut-leakage effects can came the difference noted between the lift-curve slopes of the sting and the semispan data. Fair agreement was obtained among the data of the three models as regard the variation of pitching-moment coefficients with lift coefficient. The agreement between the complete and the semispan models was more favorable with the vertical fine on, because the wall-boundary-layer and strut leakage effects were less severe. In the Mach number range between 0.94 and 0.97, ailavator-control reversal was indicated in the wing-flow data near zero lift; Whereas, these same trends were indicated in the larger scale semispan data at somewhat higher lift coefficients.

Goodson, Kenneth W.↗

The Effect of Boundary-layer Control by Suction and of Several High-lift Devices on the Aerodynamic Characteristics in Yaw of a 47.5 Degree Sweptback

An investigation has been made in the Langley full-scale tunnel of a 47.5 degree sweptback wing-fuselage combination equipped for boundary-layer control by suction. The wing aspect ratio was 3.5, the taper ratio was 0.5 and the airfoil sections normal to the quarter-chord line were NACA 61(sub 1)-A112. Tests included the plain wing and the wing with various combinations of extensible leading-edge and split flaps. The investigation was made to determine the effect of boundary-layer control by suction on the aerodynamic characteristics in yaw and on the effectiveness of a split-flap-type aileron for a range of angle of attack and suction-flow coefficient at a Reynolds number of 4.2 x 10 (exp 6) corresponding to a Mach number of approximately 0.07.

BOUNDARY LAYER - COMPLETE WINGS↗

The Effect of Boundary-layer Control by Suction and Several High-lift Devices on the Longitudinal Aerodynamic Characteristics of a 47.5 Degree Sweptback Wing-fuselage Combination

An investigation has been made in the Langley full-scale tunnel of a 47.5 degree sweptback wing-fuselage combination equipped for boundary-layer control by suction. The wing aspect ratio was 3.5, the taper ratio was 0.5, and the airfoil sections normal to the quarter-chord line were NACA 64(sub 1)-A112. The wing configurations tested included the wing with various combinations of extensible leading-edge and split flaps. The effect of Reynolds number, suction-slot location and suction flow coefficient on the aerodynamic characteristics was determined for the model at zero yaw over a range of angle of attack.

WING-FUSELAGE COMBINATIONS - AIRPLANES↗

Comparison of Theoretical and Experimental Heat-Transfer Characteristics of Bodies of Revolution at Supersonic Speeds

An investigation of the three important factors that determine convective heat-transfer characteristics at supersonic speeds, location boundary-layer transition, recovery factor, and heat-transfer parameter has been performed at Mach numbers from 1.49 to 1.18. The bodies of revolution that were tested had, in most cases, laminar boundary layers, and the test results have been compared with available theory. Boundary-layer transition was found to be affected by heat transfer. Adding heat to a laminar boundary layer caused transition to move forward on the test body, while removing heat caused transition to move rearward. These experimental results and the implications of boundary-layer-stability theory are in qualitative agreement.

Scherrer, Richard↗