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Aerodynamics and Fluid Mechanics

University of Central Florida

2022

Articles 1 - 13 of 13

Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Flame-Generated Turbulence For Flame Acceleration And Detonation Transition, Rachel Hytovick Jan 2022

Flame-Generated Turbulence For Flame Acceleration And Detonation Transition, Rachel Hytovick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Detonations are a supersonic mode of combustion witnessed in a variety of applications, from next-generation propulsion devices to catastrophic explosions and the formation of supernovas. Detonations are typically initiated through the deflagration to detonation transition (DDT), a detailed process where a subsonic flame undergoes rapid acceleration increasing compressibility until a hotspot forms on the flame front inciting a detonation wave to form. Due to the complex nature of the phenomena, DDT is commonly investigated in three stages – (i) preconditioning, (ii) detonation onset, and (iii) wave propagation and stability. The research presented explores each of these stages individually, with a …


Investigating The Effect Of Cmas Infiltration On Residual Stress Of High Temperature Ceramic Coatings For Turbine Engines Using 3d Confocal Raman Spectroscopy, Zachary Stein Jan 2022

Investigating The Effect Of Cmas Infiltration On Residual Stress Of High Temperature Ceramic Coatings For Turbine Engines Using 3d Confocal Raman Spectroscopy, Zachary Stein

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Calcium-magnesium-aluminosilicates (CMAS), such as sand or volcanic ash, are ingested by aircraft jet engines during operation. CMAS then becomes molten while traveling through the combustor of the engine before depositing onto turbine blades within the turbine section of the engine. The molten CMAS melt infiltrates and interacts with the high temperature ceramic coated turbine blades. This infiltration increases coating stiffness and promotes coating phase destabilization, encouraging micro-crack formation and increasing the risk of spallation. Thermomechanical effects from CMAS infiltration were mapped over time with confocal Raman spectroscopy. The residual stresses within infiltrated 7YSZ EB-PVD coatings were captured with microscale resolution. …


Interactions Of Aerosol Droplets With Ventilated Airflows In The Context Of Airborne Pathogen Transmission, Steven Schroeder Jan 2022

Interactions Of Aerosol Droplets With Ventilated Airflows In The Context Of Airborne Pathogen Transmission, Steven Schroeder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

This multidisciplinary study provides a comprehensive visualization of airborne aerosols and droplets coming into contact with a crossflow of moving air utilizing both experimental particle measuring methods and multiphase computational fluids dynamics (CFD). The aim of this research is to provide a Eulerian visualization of how ventilation can alter the position and density of an aerosol cloud, with the goal of applying this information to our understanding of social distancing ranges within outdoor settings and ventilated rooms. The results indicate that even minor perpendicular crossflows across the trajectory of an aerosol cloud can greatly reduce both the linear displacement and …


Vibrations Of Rotationally Periodic Structures: A Metric For Mistuning Characterization And Vibration Localization, Andres Rodriguez Jan 2022

Vibrations Of Rotationally Periodic Structures: A Metric For Mistuning Characterization And Vibration Localization, Andres Rodriguez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Blisk components are an integral part of jet engines and power generation systems. Composed of a single monolithic structure, integral blisks combine the blade-and-disk portion of primary components such as the fan, compressor stage, or turbine stage. This design modification increases the aerodynamic performance while decreasing the cost and eliminating time of assembly. However, these benefits come with the loss of blade-disk connection interfaces, which greatly reduces the structure's damping and its ability to attenuate unwanted structural vibrations. Blisk dynamics are impacted by mistuning, which is a disruption of the periodic symmetry of otherwise identical bladed sections. This disruption degrades …


Autoignition Delay Time Measurements And Chemical Kinetic Modeling Of Hydrogen/Ammonia/Natural Gas Mixtures, Jessica Baker Jan 2022

Autoignition Delay Time Measurements And Chemical Kinetic Modeling Of Hydrogen/Ammonia/Natural Gas Mixtures, Jessica Baker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

In recent years, hydrogen-carrying compounds have accrued interest as an alternative to traditional fossil fuels due to their function as zero-emission fuels. As such, there is interest in investigating hydrogen-carrying compounds to improve understanding of the fuels' characteristics for use in high pressure systems. In the current study, the oxidation of ammonia/natural gas/hydrogen mixtures was carried out to study CO formation profiles as well as the ignition delay times behind reflected shock waves in order to refine chemical kinetic models. Experiments were carried out in the University of Central Florida's shock tube facility by utilizing chemiluminescence to obtain OH* emission …


The Breakup Of Rp-2 Liquid Fuel Droplets In A Detonation Field, Daniel Dyson Jan 2022

The Breakup Of Rp-2 Liquid Fuel Droplets In A Detonation Field, Daniel Dyson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Experimentally obtained droplet breakup patterns are presented for RP-2 liquid fuel droplets in the environment behind a detonation wave. To the best of our knowledge, this data is the first of its kind to examine the fundamental interactions between detonation waves and an individual fuel droplet. The experiments presented here are expected to support the ongoing effort of creating accurate models of droplet breakup in a variety of environments, which in turn will lead to enhanced predictions of rotating detonation engine performance, improved safety considerations for facilities operating in hazardous conditions, and new knowledge in energetics, hypersonics, and explosion dynamics …


Energy Based Diagnostics Of Cfd: Revealing New Insights To Complex Aerodynamics, George Loubimov Jan 2022

Energy Based Diagnostics Of Cfd: Revealing New Insights To Complex Aerodynamics, George Loubimov

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

This thesis documents a new approach to assess the aerodynamics of complex fluid dynamic systems using modern assessment methods associated with computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The method is developed to extract novel and additional insight in the context of a higher-fidelity modeling tool. Although the methods are based on classical control volume techniques balancing fluid momentum and energy, the approach uses the detailed data provided by CFD to expand on it. Classical methods typically use a fixing control volume defined at simple control surfaces, whereas this assessment method utilizes CFD to provide complex integrals on the control surfaces and uses …


A Study Of Microgravity On Fluid Transport Through Porous Structures In Microfluidic Devices, Sylvain Le Henaff Jan 2022

A Study Of Microgravity On Fluid Transport Through Porous Structures In Microfluidic Devices, Sylvain Le Henaff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The objective of this study is to refine the understanding of micro-fluidics subject to micro-gravity in an attempt to support future space exploration efforts. A combination of experimental and numerical approaches were utilized to build a validated assessment approach. A quasi-pore geometry, inspired by CT scans of rat bones, was used in lieu of human bone structures. A quasi-1D assessment of the conservation of momentum was used to identify the dominant forces acting on the fluid at the operating length-scales. The dominant forces were surface tension, gravity, and shear stress. Experiments were conducted to visualize the flow moving through the …


Quantification Of The Aerodynamic Drivers Of A Deployable Propeller, David Malyszek Jan 2022

Quantification Of The Aerodynamic Drivers Of A Deployable Propeller, David Malyszek

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

With the use deployable drones becoming more common research into their improvement is necessary. Deployable drones that are launched from tubes have size limits on the diameter of the propeller during launch and storage. The purpose of this research is to develop deployable propeller blades for practical uses, such as tube launched propeller driven drones and easier to transport wind turbine blades. A deployable propeller will allow for the utilization of larger propellers when a large non-deployable blade isn't an option. Because deployable propellers need to fold, the deployable propeller blades were designed to be hollow and with a slit …


Sensitivity Of Combustion Liner Contour To Sand Ingestion Clogging, Nelson Padilla Jan 2022

Sensitivity Of Combustion Liner Contour To Sand Ingestion Clogging, Nelson Padilla

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

This currently presented work is an evaluation of the characteristics of different cooling hole geometries to particulate ingestion clogging. Experimentation was conducted using a premixed bluff body flame combustor facility to generate high temperature combustor flow conditions. Sand ingestion along the cooling path of the combustion liner was reproduced using an air-assisted seeder providing consistent sand ingestion. Mass flow rate of cooling air was controlled using a sonic orifice downstream of a pressure regulator so that the mass flow rate of the air and sand mixture is independent of the clogging state. Pressure data upstream of a small section of …


Shock Tube And Gas Dynamic Design Considerations And Implementation For Extended Test Times, Jacklyn Higgs Jan 2022

Shock Tube And Gas Dynamic Design Considerations And Implementation For Extended Test Times, Jacklyn Higgs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

A new shock tube test section has been designed and manufactured for the purpose of increasing the test time and expanding the applications of the shock tube for a multitude of ongoing and future projects. One purpose for the test section extension is to allow for flow visualization of droplets impacted by a shock wave for the interaction of hypersonic vehicles and atmospheric disturbances. Another purpose is to measure behind the incident shock to capture the chemical kinetics for a high-altitude environment and low-pressure, high-temperature space applications. This new test section contains 24 round optical ports for laser spectroscopy for …


The Effects Of Supersonic Reacting Flow Over A Wedge, Taylor R. Brown Jan 2022

The Effects Of Supersonic Reacting Flow Over A Wedge, Taylor R. Brown

Honors Undergraduate Theses

There is a growing need for a fundamental understanding of how detonations are formed and sustained as propulsion technology advances toward the use of detonation-based engines. The deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) phenomenon is studied to better understand both the fundamentals of detonation physics and the conditions surrounding how detonations are formed and sustained. This research aims to study the effects of a wedge on DDT and detonation formation. A hydrogen-air mixture is pumped into a chamber and ignited by a spark plug. Turbulence-driven flame acceleration is induced by turbulators in the chamber through which the flame propagates. The flame then flows …


Aerodynamic Characterization Of An Elliptical Fairing In The Wake Of A Bluff Body, Luis Amaya Jan 2022

Aerodynamic Characterization Of An Elliptical Fairing In The Wake Of A Bluff Body, Luis Amaya

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Aerodynamic optimization is a key step in designing planes, cars, and even buildings. Numerical modeling is used to automate the optimization process and can use different methods to iterate through designs. In this process, consideration of the starting design is paramount as a poor choice can use up computational time and effort. Often, these designs are made with the intention of being out in the open, for which studies on shape variations in freestream situations abound. However, for the case where an object must be placed in the wake of another, there is little research. The study presented here aims …