Forty Years of Computational Fluid Dynamics Research in India-Achievements and Issues

A review of the emergence and maturing of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) research in India over the last four decades is presented. The status of in-house developed CFD codes in various aerospace laboratories and academic institutions in the country is described along with their strengths and weaknesses. Although, some level of maturity is achieved in CFD to address the external flow problems of an aerospace vehicle, the slow growth of indigenous reacting CFD codes forced Indian aerospace industry to depend solely on the commercial software for addressing the internal flow problems related to propulsion and combustion. A brief account of various technical and managerial issues in CFD development is presented. A roadmap is proposed for the graduation of CFD codes, from analysis tool to design tool.Defence Science Journal, 2010, 60(6), pp.567-576, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.60.60

Numerical Simulation of a Hypersonic Air Intake

Numerical simulations were carried out to study the unsteady flow in an intake of hypersonic air-breathing vehicle. Unsteady RANS simulations were performed to examine started flow of the intake when cowl surface is parallel to the ramp surface. Though started, the flow was unsteady due to flow separation bubbles inside intake. Intake with larger cowl opening at which intake unstarted was also simulated. Simulations indicated unstarted flow, with large pressure oscillations. The numerically simulation results match reasonably well with experimental data. Calculated unstarting Mach number was found to be 3.0-3.2 in comparison of wind tunnel data of 3.6 for the same cowl opening angle.Defence Science Journal, Vol. 65, No. 3, May 2015, pp.189-195, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.65.825

Hypersonic Intake Starting Characteristics–A CFD Validation Study

Numerical simulation of hypersonic intake starting characteristics is presented. Three dimensional RANS equations are solved alongwith SST turbulence model using commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software. Wall pressure distribution and intake performance parameters are found to match well with experimental data for different free stream Mach number in the range of 3-8. The unstarting of the intake is traced from the sudden drop of mass capture ratio. Wall condition (adiabatic or isothermal) is seen to have pronounced effect in estimating the performance parameters in the intake. The computed unstarting Mach number is seen to be higher for adiabatic condition compared to isothermal condition. For unstarting case, large separation bubble is seen near the entrance of the intake, which is responsible for expulsion of the shock system out of the intake.Defence Science Journal, 2012, 62(1), pp.147-152, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.62.134

Numerical Simulation of Supersonic Jet Impingement on Inclined Plate

Supersonic jet impinging on an inclined plate is explored numerically by solving Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) equations using a commercial solver. The numerical uncertainty is quantified by grid convergence index parameter analysis. Simulations capture crisply all the essential features of the flow field including jet boundary, jet shock, upper tail shock, front and behind plate shocks. Good agreement between computational and experimental results for different plate angles forms the basis of further analysis. Four different two equations turbulence models predict similar jet structures. Effect of plate angles, pressure ratio, nozzle-plate distance on impinged jet structures are evaluated from numerical results. It has been observed that with increase in the plate angle, the maximum pressure zone in the plate changed from crescent shape to round shape. Well resolved RANS simulations are capable of capturing finer details of supersonic impinging jets on inclined plate.Defence Science Journal, 2013, 63(4), pp.355-362, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.63.254

Numerical Characterisation of Jet-Vane based Thrust Vector Control Systems

Computational fluid dynamics methodology was used in characterising jet vane based thrust vector control systems of tactical missiles. Three-dimensional Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes equations were solved along with two-equation turbulence model for different operating conditions. Nonlinear regression analysis was applied to the detailed CFD database to evolve a mathematical model for the thrust vector control system. The developed model was validated with series of ground based 6-Component static tests. The proven methodology is applied toa new configuration.Defence Science Journal, Vol. 65, No. 4, July 2015, pp. 261-264, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.65.796

Numerical Exploration of Staged Transverse Injection into Confined Supersonic

Staged transverse sonic injection into supersonic flow in a confined environment usually employed in scramjet combustor has been explored numerically using an indigenously developed three-dimensional Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes solver with Roe's scheme and k-w turbulence model. Simulations were carried out for both without injection and with injection in Mach 2 flow behind a backward-facing step in a rectangular duct. Simulation captured all finer details of flow structures including recirculation bubble behind a backward-facing step, barrel shocks and Mach discs caused due to transverse injection and reattachment of shear layer in the downstream wake region. K-w turbulence model with compressibility correction performed extremely well in predicting the overall behaviour of the flow field. The jet from the second injector was found to penetrate more in the free-stream due to the loss of free-stream total pressure across the barrel shock of the first injection point. Excellent agreement of computed profiles of various flow parameters at different axial locations in the duct with experimental results and other numerical results available in the literature demonstrate the robustness and accuracy of the indigenously developed code.Defence Science Journal, 2011, 61(1), pp.3-11, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.61.2

Long-Term High Fat Diet Has a Profound Effect on Body Weight, Hormone Levels, and Estrous Cycle in Mice

Background: Obesity causes several health complications along with disruption of the reproductive system. The aim of the current study was to determine how long-term intake of very high fat diet (VHFD) changes the hormonal milieu, affecting the cellular morphology and reproductive cycle in female mice. Material/Methods: Mice were fed on normal diet (ND) and VHFD for 2 weeks, 12 weeks, and 25–27 weeks. We assessed changes in body weight, food consumption, energy intake, cellular and tissue morphology, hormonal levels (leptin, insulin, and estradiol), and vaginal smears were performed at various time points to determine the length and cellularity at each stage of the estrous cycle. Results: Mice fed on VHFD showed a significant increase in weight gain, reduction in food intake, and increase in energy intake compared to animals fed on ND, indicating that the caloric density of the diet is responsible for the differences in weight gain. Hormonal analysis showed hyperleptinemia, hyperinsulinemia, and increases in estrogen levels, along with increases in size of the islet of Langerhans and adipocytes. After 25–27 weeks, all animals fed on VHFD showed complete acyclicity; elongation of phases (e.g., diestrous), skipping of phases (e.g., metestrous), or a combination of both, indicating disruption in the reproductive cycle. Quantitative analysis showed that in the diestrous phase there was a 70% increase in cell count in VHFD compared to animals fed on ND. Conclusions: The above results show that morphological and hormonal changes caused by VHFD probably act via negative feedback to the hypothalamic-pituitary axis to shut down reproduction, which has a direct effect on the estrous cycle, causing acyclicity in mice

Computational Study of Transverse Slot Injection in Supersonic Flow

The knowledge of transverse sonic injection flow field is very important for the design of scramjet combustor. Three dimensional Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes equations alongwith turbulence models are solved to find the effect of transverse sonic slot injection into a supersonic flow. Grid sensitivity of the results is studied for various structured grids. Simulations with different turbulence models (i.e., k-ε, k-ω, SST-kω, and RNG-kε) reveals that RNG-kε turbulence model better predicts the flow features. Computational fluid dynamics predicted wall pressure distribution for various injection pressures matches well with experimental data. The extent of upstream separated region increases with the increase of the injection pressure. The increase of slot width makes the interaction between transverse jet and free stream more intense and causes more spreading and penetration of injectant in the downstream region

Numerical Simulation of a Dual Pulse Solid Rocket Motor Flow Field

Numerical simulations are carried out for the internal flow field of a dual pulse solid rocket motor port to understand the flow behaviour. Three dimensional Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes equations are solved alongwith shear stress transport turbulence model using commercial code. The combustion gas is assumed as a mixture of alumina and gases and single phase flow calculations are done with the thermo chemical properties provided for the mixture. The simulation captures all the essential features of the flow field. The flow accelerates through the pulse separation device (PSD) port and high temperature and high velocity gas is seen to impinge the motor wall near the PSD port. The overall total pressure drop through motor port and through PSD is found to be moderate.Defence Science Journal, 2012, 62(6), pp.369-374, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.62.141

Numerical Investigation of Hydrogen-fuelled Scramjet Combustor with Cavity Flame Holder

Reacting flow field of a cavity-based hydrogen-fuelled supersonic combustion ramjet (scramjet) combustor has been explored numerically. 3-D RANS equations are solved alongwith k-ε turbulence model and infinitely fast rate kinetics for combustion. The flow field inside the flame holding cavity and its effect on the mixing and reaction are explored in detail by performing simulations of two different combustors (with and without cavities) for which elaborate surface pressure measurements are available for reacting and non-reacting flows. Simulations capture all the finer details of the flow field and good match between computed surface pressures experimental values for different equivalence ratios forms the basis of further analysis. The cavity of the combustor behaves as an open cavity for both non-reacting and reacting flow-even though the flow patterns inside the cavity are quite different for both the cases. Flame-holding cavities are seen to augment mixing and reaction in small sized combustors.Defence Science Journal, Vol. 64, No. 5, September 2014, pp.417-425, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.64.519