Turbulence measurements in confined jets using a rotating single-wire probe technique
Previously cited in issue 18, p. 2885, Accession no. A82-37710
Janjua, S. I.↗
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Measurements in the near-wall region of a relaxing three-dimensional low speed turbulent air boundary layer
An experimental investigation was conducted at selected locations of the near-wall region of a three dimensional turbulent air boundary layer relaxing in a nominally zero external pressure gradient behind a transverse hump (in the form of a 30 deg swept, 5-foot chord wing-type model) faired into the side wall of a low speed wind tunnel. Wall shear stresses measured with a flush-mounted hot-film gage and a sublayer fence were in very good agreement with experimental data obtained with two Preston probes. With the upstream unit Reynolds number held constant at 325,000/ft. approximately one-fourth of the boundary layer thickness adjacent to the wall was surveyed with a single rotated hot-wire probe mounted on a specially designed minimum interference traverse mechanism. The boundary layer (approximately 3.5 in thick near the first survey station where the length Reynolds number was 5.5 million) had a maximum crossflow velocity ratio of 0.145 and a maximum crossflow angle of 21.875 deg close to the wall.
Hebbar, K. S.↗
Experimental investigation of turbulent flow through a circular-to-rectangular transition duct
Steady, incompressible, turbulent, swirl-free flow through a circular-to-rectangular transition duck was studied experimentally. The cross-sectional area remains the same at the exit as at the inlet, but varies through the transition section to a maximum value approximately 15 percent above the inlet value. The cross-sectional geometry everywhere along the duct is defined by the equation of a superellipse. Mean and turbulence data were accumulated utilizing pressure and hot-wire instrumentation at five stations along the test section. Data are presented for operating bulk Reynolds numbers of 88,000 and 390,000. Measured quantities include total and static pressure, the three components of the mean velocity vector, and the six components of the Reynolds stress tensor. In addition to the transition duct measurements, a hot-wire technique which relies on the sequential use of single rotatable normal and slant-wire probes was proposed. The technique is applicable for measurement of the total mean velocity vector and the complete Reynolds stress tensor when the primary flow is arbitrarily skewed relative to a plane which lies normal to the probe axis of rotation.
Davis, David O.↗
An investigation of rotor noise generation by aerodynamic disturbance
An open rotor was considered as a process for converting an unsteady velocity inflow into sound radiation. With the aid of crude assumptions, aero-acoustic transfer functions were defined theoretically for both discrete frequency and broad band noise. A study of the validity of these transfer functions yielded results which show good agreement at discrete frequencies though slightly less good for broad band noise. Agreement in both cases holds over three or more decades of the relevant parameters. A rotating hot wire anemometry system consisting of a single hot wire probe mounted in the nose cone of the rotor was used to quantify fluctuations in the airflow onto a single rotor blade for the transfer function results. Further theoretical analysis revealed that the sound field can be expressed in terms of blade-to-blade correlations in the airflow, and results from two probes rotating simultaneously were modelled mathematically and inserted in the theory. Preliminary results snow encouraging agreement with experimental data.
Whitfield, C. E.↗
Unique Tuft Test Facility Dramatically Reduces Brush Seal Development Costs
Brush seals have been incorporated in the latest turbine engines to reduce leakage and improve efficiency. However, the life of these seals is limited by wear. Studies have shown that optimal sealing characteristics for a brush seal occur before the interference fit between the brush and shaft is excessively worn. Research to develop improved tribopairs (brush and coating) with reduced wear and lower friction has been hindered by the lack of an accurate, low-cost, efficient test methodology. Estimated costs for evaluating a new material combination in an engine company seal test program are on the order of $100,000. To address this need, the NASA Lewis Research Center designed, built, and validated a unique, innovative brush seal tuft tester that slides a single tuft of brush seal wire against a rotating shaft under controlled loads, speeds, and temperatures comparable to those in turbine engines. As an initial screening tool, the brush seal tuft tester can tribologicaly evaluate candidate seal materials for 1/10th the cost of full-scale seal tests. Previous to the development of the brush seal tuft tester facility, most relevant tribological data had been obtained from full-scale seal tests conducted primarily to determine seal leakage characteristics. However, from a tribological point of view, these tests included the confounding effects of varying contact pressures, bristle flaring, high-temperature oxidation, and varying bristle contact angles. These confounding effects are overcome in tuft testing. The interface contact pressures can be either constant or varying depending on the tuft mounting device, and bristle wear can be measured optically with inscribed witness marks. In a recent cooperative program with a U.S. turbine engine manufacturer, five metallic wire candidates were tested against a plasma-sprayed Nichrome-bonded chrome carbide. The wire materials used during this collaboration were either nickel-chrome- or cobaltchrome-based superalloys. These tests corroborated full-scale seal test results and provided insight into previously untested combinations. As the cycle temperature for improved efficiency turbine engines increases, new brush seal materials combinations must be considered. Future brush seal tuft testing will include both metallic and ceramic bristles versus commercial and NASA-developed shaft coatings. The ultimate goal of this work is to expand the current data base so that seal designers can tailor brush seal materials to specific applications.
Fellenstein, James A.↗
Direct drag and hot-wire measurements on thin-element riblet arrays
An experimental study of stream wise, near-wall, thin-element riblet arrays under a turbulent boundary layer has been conducted in low-speed air. Hot-wire data show that a single, isolated thin-element riblet causes formation of counter-rotating vortex-pairs with a spanwise wavelength of 130 viscous lengths. Abrupt shifts in turbulence intensity magnitude and peak location are observed for streamwise riblet arrays as spanwise riblet spacing is varied. Direct drag measurements show net drag reduction (up to 8.5 percent) over a wide range of riblet spacings along with behavior at discrete non-dimensional spacings indicative of vortex activity. Overall, the data suggest that more than one drag reduction mechanism may be involved.
Wilkinson, S. P.↗
The Impact of Transition Edge Sensor Design on Achievable Performance Uniformity of Kilo-Pixel Arrays
Future astronomy missions using x-ray transition-edge sensor (TES) microcalorimeters, such as X-IFU on Athena, will require large arrays of 1000s of pixels fabricated on a single wafer. To wire out so many pixels the current array designs have pixels with different rotational orientations. Fabrication is done in multiple layers and so, dependent on method, there is potential for spatial misalignment between layers. Because of the variation of orientation of pixels, misalignment may not impact each pixel equally. This has the potential to degrade the achievable uniformity of performance across an array. How well aligned do different layers need to be? How does sensitivity to misalignment depend on choice of pixel design?
Wakeham, Nicholas↗
Flex-Capsules for the Roman Space Telescope High Gain Antenna Gimbal
The Cable Wrap mechanism has been traditionally used for feeding power and telemetry through each gimbal actuator exiting at the gimbal output flange. Such a mechanism had often utilized round wire bundles or a multitude of single insulated conductors woven together flatwise to handle the angular rotation. Though flexible printed circuit board (PCB) is not a new technology, it was decided to implement it for the Roman Space Telescope (RST) High Gain Antenna Gimbal in an effort to improve reliability with consistency of manufacture and to save mass and minimize required volume. This paper provides a description of what we term Flex-Capsule (a similar vendor flight development is termed Twist Capsule), discusses the reasoning behind choosing a new engineering development over maintaining heritage, and includes commentary pertaining to life cycle analysis, electrical performance, and flexible PCB lubrication. Lessons learned from the design, analysis, and test campaign are also included. The conclusion is that benefits of pursuing the Flex-Capsule over heritage Cable Wrap have been realized.
twist capsule↗
Flex-Capsule for the Roman Space Telescope High Gain Antenna Gimbal
The Cable Wrap mechanism has been traditionally used for feeding power and telemetry through each gimbal actuator exiting at the Gimbal output flange. Such a mechanism had often utilized round wire bundles, or a multitude of single insulated conductors woven together flatwise to handle the angular rotation. Though flexible printed circuit board (PCB) is not a new technology, it was decided to implement it for the Roman Space Telescope (RST) High Gain Antenna Gimbal in an effort to improve reliability with consistency of manufacture and to save mass and minimize required volume. This paper provides a description of what we term Flex-Capsule (a similar vendor flight development is termed Twist Capsule), discusses the reasoning behind choosing a new engineering development over maintaining heritage, and includes commentary pertaining to life cycle analysis, electrical performance, and flexible PCB lubrication. Lessons learned from the design, analysis, and test campaign are also included. The conclusion is that benefits of pursuing the Flex-Capsule over heritage Cable Wrap have been realized.
twist capsule↗
Near wakes of advanced turbopropellers
The flow in the wake of a model single rotation Prop-Fan rotor operating in a wind tunnel was traversed with a hot-wire anemometer system designed to determine the 3 periodic velocity components. Special data acquisition and data reduction methods were required to deal with the high data frequency, narrow wakes, and large fluctuating air angles in the tip vortex region. The model tip helical Mach number was 1.17, simulating the cruise condition. Although the flow field is complex, flow features such as viscous velocity defects, vortex sheets, tip vortices, and propagating acoustic pulses are clearly identified with the aid of a simple analytical wake theory.
Hanson, D. B.↗
Ultrasonic thermometry using pulse techniques.
Ultrasonic pulse techniques have been developed which, when applied to inert gases, provide temperature measurements up to 8000 K. The response time can be less than 1 msec. This is a significant feature in studying shock-heated or combusting gases. Using a momentary contact coupling technique, temperature has been measured inside steel from 300 to 1500 K. Thin-wire sensors have been used above 2000 K in nuclear and industrial applications where conditions preclude the use of thermocouples, resistance devices, or optical pyrometers. At 2500 K, temperature sensitivity of 0.1% is obtained in Re wire sensors 5 cm long by timing five round trips with an electronic instrument that resolves the time interval between selected echoes to 0.1 microsec. Sensors have been operated at rotational speeds over 2000 rpm and in noisy environments. Temperature profiling of up to ten regions using only a single guided path or beam has also been accomplished.
Lynnworth, L. C.↗
Stability experiments in rotating-disk flow
An experimental study of the transitional flow on a flat disk, rotating in still air, has been conducted. Using digitized hot-wire data, the axes of the stationary spiral vortices, which are the primary instability mechanism for the disk flow, have been mapped-out in terms of both spatial coordinates and velocity fluctuations. Data are presented for a clean disk and for a disk with a single, isolated roughness element. The data show that the disk vortices are generated at discrete roughness disturbance sites on the disk and that they propagate and grow as wave packets. The familiar vortex pattern of 30 or so vortices results only when these wave packets have merged and filled the entire circumference. The appearance of stationary, secondary vortices prior to turbulent breakdown has also been observed. Comparisons with linear stability theory show reasonable agreement with measured growth rate data.
Wilkinson, S. P.↗
Experimental Study of the Structure of a Wingtip Vortex
A complete look at the near-field development and subsequent role-up of a wingtip vortex from a NACA 0015 wing section is investigated. Two separate but equally important surveys of the vortex structure in the region adjacent to the wingtip and approximately one chord length downstream of the trailing edge are performed. The two surveys provide qualitative flow-visualization an quantitative velocity measurement data. The near-field development and subsequent role-up of the vortex structures is strongly influenced by the angle-of-attack and the end-cap treatment of the wing section. The velocity field near the wingtip of the NACA 0015 wing section was measured with a triple-sensor hot wire probe and compared to flow visualization images produced with titanium tetrachloride smoke injection and laser illumination. The flat end-cap results indicate the formation of multiple, relatively strong vortex structures as opposed to the formation of a single vortex produced with the round end-cap. The multiple vortices generated by the flat end-cap are seen to rotate around a common ce te in a helical pattern until they eventually merge into a single vortex. Compared to a non-dimensional loading parameter, the results of the velocity and flow visualization data shows a "jetlike" axial velocity profile for loading parameter values on the order of 0.1 and a "wakelike" profile for much lower loading parameter values.
Anderson, Elgin A.↗
Performance of Typical Rear-Stage Axial-Flow Compressor Rotor Blade Row at Three Different Blade Setting Angles
A comparison of the performance of a single-stage rotor run at three different blade setting angles is presented. The rotor was of a design typical for a last stage of a multistage compressor. At each setting angle, the rotor blade row was operated from 53 to 100 percent of equivalent maximum speed (850 ft/sec tip speed) at constant inlet pressure. Hot-wire anemometry was used to observe rotating-stall and surge patterns in time unsteady flow. Results indicated that an increase in peak pressure ratio and an increase in maximum equivalent weight flow were obtained at each speed investigated when the blade setting angle was decreased. An increase in peak efficiency was achieved with decrease in blade setting angle for part of the range of speeds investigated. However, the peak efficiencies for the three blade setting angles were approximately the same at the maximum speed investigated. The flow ranges for all three configurations were about the same at minimum speed and decreased at almost the same rate when the rotative speed was increased through part of the range of speeds investigated. At maximum speed, the flow range for the smallest setting angle was considerably less than the flow range for the other two configurations. A decrease in efficiency and flow range for the smallest blade setting angle at maximum speed can be attributed primarily to a Mach number effect. In addition, because of the difference in projected axial chord lengths at the casing wall, some effect on performance could be expected from the change in three-dimensional flow occurring at the tip. Rotating-stall characteristics for the two smaller blade setting angles were essentially the same. Only surge could be detected for the largest blade setting angle in the unstable-flow region of operation.
Kussoy, Marvin I.↗
The Spectral and Statistical Properties of Turbulence Generated by a Vortex/Blade-Tip Interaction
The perpendicular interaction of a streamwise vortex with the tip of a lifting blade was studied in incompressible flow to provide information useful to the accurate prediction of helicopter rotor noise and the understanding of vortex dominated turbulent flows. The vortex passed 0.3 chord lengths to the suction side of the blade tip, providing a weak interaction. Single and two-point turbulence measurements were made using sub-miniature four sensor hot-wire probes 15 chord lengths downstream of the blade trailing edge; revealing the mean velocity and Reynolds stress tensor distributions of the turbulence, as well as its spanwise length scales as a function of frequency. The single point measurements show the flow downstream of the blade to be dominated by the interaction of the original tip vortex and the vortex shed by the blade. These vortices rotate about each other under their mutual induction, winding up the turbulent wakes of the blades. This interaction between the vortices appears to be the source of new turbulence in their cores and in the region between them. This turbulence appears to be responsible for some decay in the core of the original vortex, not seen when the blade is removed. The region between the vortices is not only a region of comparatively large stresses, but also one of intense turbulence production. Velocity autospectra measured near its center suggests the presence quasi-periodic large eddies with axes roughly parallel to a line joining the vortex cores. Detailed two-point measurements were made on a series of spanwise cuts through the flow so as to reveal the turbulence scales as they would be seen along the span of an intersecting airfoil. The measurements were made over a range of probe separations that enabled them to be analyzed not only in terms of coherence and phase spectra but also in terms of wave-number frequency (kappa-omega) spectra, computed by transforming the measured cross-spectra with respect to the spanwise separation of the probes. These data clearly show the influence of the coherent eddies in the spiral wake and the turbulent region between the cores. These eddies produce distinct peaks in the upwash velocity kappa-omega spectra, and strong anisotropy manifested both in the decay of the kappa-omega spectrum at larger wave-numbers and in differences between the kappa-omega spectra of different components. None of these features are represented in the von Karman spectrum for isotropic turbulence that is often used in broadband noise computations. Wave-number frequency spectra measured in the cores appear to show some evidence that the turbulence outside sets tip core waves, as has previously been hypothesized. These spectra also provide for the first time a truly objective method for distinguishing velocity fluctuations produced by core wandering from other motions.
Devenport, William J.↗
Structure of a swirling turbulent mixing layer
A single-stream swirling turbulent mixing layer was produced in which the angular momentum instability acts over most of the layer for most of its development length. The instability is associated with a large increase in the level of the conventional Reynolds stresses over those in an unswirled mixing layer. This paper presents measurements of the three-dimensionality of the mean flow at one axial location well downstream of the origin. The output of a fixed hot-wire probe was ensemble-averaged to produce an approximation to the mean flow field that would be seen by a rotating observer. The main goals of this study were to establish the presence or absence of Taylor-Goertler vortices found in unstable laminar boundary layers. The variations in the mean velocities and Reynolds stresses are generally consistent with a bodily 'wrinkling' of the mixing layer, without a significant variation in the layer thickness. The wrinkling is most probably a result of circumferential variations in the initial boundary layer, which in turn originate at the swirl generator.
Wood, D. H.↗
Laser Beam Welding Advancements for In-Space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing
NASA is currently working to develop in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM) capabilities for low Earth orbit and the lunar surface. One crucial technology for this effort is laser beam welding. Laser systems can perform joining, cleaning, cutting, and repair activities, which will enable the construction of large in-space structures that could not fit on a single launch vehicle, such as trusses for solar panels, radiators, or communications infrastructure. Multiple projects studying laser welding for space applications are currently underway at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. One of these, the DIsk-Shaped Configurable and Modular vAcuum uNit (DISCMAN), is a compact vacuum chamber designed to support parameter development for laser welding in microgravity. It contains a rotating platen with weld samples made from aluminum, steel, and titanium, a high-power infrared laser, and integrated pumps for pulling vacuum inside the sample cartridge. The DISCMAN payload is planned to launch to the International Space Station, where welds will be performed under sustained microgravity inside the Bishop Airlock. Another effort underway at Marshall is the Lunar Assembly and Servicing by Autonomous Robotics (LASAR) initiative. This project uses a space-rated robotic arm equipped with a laser weld head, wire feeder, and multiple cameras to perform welds in a thermal vacuum chamber simulating the lunar surface environment. Some of these welds are done on snowflake joints, which are specially designed to slot together to join segments of trussN structures, allowing for the construction of tall surface infrastructure. DISCMAN, LASAR, and other projects are being carried out to advance the technological maturity of in-space laser beam welding, collect data to inform computational models, and learn reliable processes for creating weld joints in space. This work supports NASA’s greater goals to expand humanity’s presence in low Earth orbit, establish a permanent moon base, and eventually send crewed missions to Mars and beyond.
Manufacturing↗
Laser Beam Welding Advancements for In-Space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing
NASA is currently working to develop in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM) capabilities for low Earth orbit and the lunar surface. One crucial technology for this effort is laser beam welding. Laser systems can perform joining, cleaning, cutting, and repair activities, which will enable the construction of large in-space structures that could not fit on a single launch vehicle, such as trusses for solar panels, radiators, or communications infrastructure. Multiple projects studying laser welding for space applications are currently underway at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. One of these, the DIsk-Shaped Configurable and Modular vAcuum uNit (DISCMAN), is a compact vacuum chamber designed to support parameter development for laser welding in microgravity. It contains a rotating platen with weld samples made from aluminum, steel, and titanium, a high-power infrared laser, and integrated pumps for pulling vacuum inside the sample cartridge. The DISCMAN payload is planned to launch to the International Space Station, where welds will be performed under sustained microgravity inside the Bishop Airlock. Another effort underway at Marshall is the Lunar Assembly and Servicing by Autonomous Robotics (LASAR) initiative. This project uses a space-rated robotic arm equipped with a laser weld head, wire feeder, and multiple cameras to perform welds in a thermal vacuum chamber simulating the lunar surface environment. Some of these welds are done on snowflake joints, which are specially designed to slot together to join segments of trussN structures, allowing for the construction of tall surface infrastructure. DISCMAN, LASAR, and other projects are being carried out to advance the technological maturity of in-space laser beam welding, collect data to inform computational models, and learn reliable processes for creating weld joints in space. This work supports NASA’s greater goals to expand humanity’s presence in low Earth orbit, establish a permanent moon base, and eventually send crewed missions to Mars and beyond.
Robotics↗