Simulation of 2-dimensional viscous flow through cascades using a semi-elliptic analysis and hybrid C-H grids

A semi-elliptic formulation, termed the interacting parabolized Navier-Stokes (IPNS) formulation, is developed for the analysis of a class of subsonic viscous flows for which streamwise diffusion is neglible but which are significantly influenced by upstream interactions. The IPNS equations are obtained from the Navier-Stokes equations by dropping the streamwise viscous-diffusion terms but retaining upstream influence via the streamwise pressure-gradient. A two-step alternating-direction-explicit numerical scheme is developed to solve these equations. The quasi-linearization and discretization of the equations are carefully examined so that no artificial viscosity is added externally to the scheme. Also, solutions to compressible as well as nearly compressible flows are obtained without any modification either in the analysis or in the solution process. The procedure is applied to constricted channels and cascade passages formed by airfoils of various shapes. These geometries are represented using numerically generated curilinear boundary-oriented coordinates forming an H-grid. A hybrid C-H grid, more appropriate for cascade of airfoils with rounded leading edges, was also developed. Satisfactory results are obtained for flows through cascades of Joukowski airfoils

Analysis of two-dimensional incompressible flow past airfoils using unsteady Navier-Stokes equations

The conservative form of the unsteady Navier-Stokes equations in terms of vorticity and stream function in generalized curvilinear coordinates are used to analyze the flow structure of steady separation and unsteady flow with massive separation. The numerical method solves the discretized equations using an ADI-BGE method. The method is applied to a symmetric 12 percent thick Joukowski airfoil. A conformal clustered grid is generated; several 1-D stretching transformations are used to obtain a grid that attempts to resolve many of the multiple scales of the unsteady flow with massive separation, while maintaining the transformation metrics to be smooth and continuous in the entire flow field. Detailed numerical results are obtained for three flow configurations (1) Re = 1000, alpha = 5 deg., (2) Re =1000, alpha = 15 deg., (3) Re = 10,000, alpha = 5 deg. No artificial dissipation was added; however, lack of a fine grid in the normal direction has presently led to results which are considered qualitative, especially for case (3)

Simulation of self-induced unsteady motion in the near wake of a Joukowski airfoil

The unsteady Navier-Stokes analysis is shown to be capable of analyzing the massively separated, persistently unsteady flow in the post-stall regime of a Joukowski airfoil for an angle of attack as high as 53 degrees. The analysis has provided the detailed flow structure, showing the complex vortex interaction for this configuration. The aerodynamic coefficients for lift, drag, and moment were calculated. So far only the spatial structure of the vortex interaction was computed. It is now important to potentially use the large-scale vortex interactions, an additional energy source, to improve the aerodynamic performance

Boundary-fitted coordinates for regions with highly curved boundaries and reentrant boundaries

A procedure was developed using the differential equation approach for generating boundary fitted coordinates for regions with highly curved boundaries as well as reentrant boundaries, such as those encountered in breaking surface waves. The resulting coordinates are nearly orthogonal and can provide adequate resolution even in the reentrant region. Consistent treatment of end boundaries and the use of a systematic initialization scheme and advanced implicit numerical solution techniques make the procedure highly efficient. The method developed for implicit enforcement of the periodicity boundary condition should be beneficial in the analysis of turbomachinery flow applications

Laminar mixing of heterogeneous axisymmetric coaxial confined jets Final report

Laminar mixing of heterogeneous axisymmetrical coaxial confined jets for application to nuclear rocket propulsio

Characterization of dynamic stall phenomenon using two-dimensional unsteady Navier-Stokes equations

Among the new significant aspects of the present work are: (1) the treatment of the far-field boundary; (2) the use of C-grid topology, with the branch-cut singularity treated analytically; (3) evaluation of the effect of the envelope of prevailing initial states, and finally; (4) the ability to employ streakline/pathline 'visualization' to probe the unsteady features prevailing in vortex-dominated flows. The far-field boundary is placed at infinity, using appropriate grid stretching. This contributes to the accuracy of the solutions, but raised a number of important issues which needed to be resolved; this includes determining the equivalent time-dependent circulation for the pitching airfoil. A secondary counter-clockwise vortex erupts from within the boundary layer and immediately pinches off the energetic leading-edge shear layer which then, through hydrodynamic instability, rolls up into the dynamic stall vortex. The streakline/pathline visualization serves to provide information for insight into the physics of the unsteady separated flow

The spectrum of high-energy cosmic rays measured with KASCADE-Grande

The energy spectrum of cosmic rays between 10**16 eV and 10**18 eV, derived from measurements of the shower size (total number of charged particles) and the total muon number of extensive air showers by the KASCADE-Grande experiment, is described. The resulting all-particle energy spectrum exhibits strong hints for a hardening of the spectrum at approximately 2x10**16 eV and a significant steepening at c. 8x10**16 eV. These observations challenge the view that the spectrum is a single power law between knee and ankle. Possible scenarios generating such features are discussed in terms of astrophysical processes that may explain the transition region from galactic to extragalactic origin of cosmic rays.Comment: accepted by Astroparticle Physics June 201