Aerodynamics and Fluid Mechanics Commons^™

An Afternoon With General Thomas P. Stafford, Stafford Air & Space Museum

Programs

An Afternoon with General Thomas P. Stafford

Sunday, May 19th, 2019 at 2:00 P.M. at the Weatherford High School Performing Arts Center.

Unless stated otherwise within this repository collection, all materials are shared under the following Creative Commons license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License].

Apollo 10, 50th Anniversary Gala, Stafford Air & Space Museum

Programs

The Apollo 10 50th Anniversary Gala was held on May 18th, 2019 at the Stafford Air & Space Museum in Weatherford, Oklahoma.

Unless stated otherwise within this repository collection, all materials are shared under the following Creative Commons license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License].

Computation Of Flow Fields Due To Single- And Twin-Jet Impingement, Xiang Zhang

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

The thesis consists of two parts. The first part focuses on numerical simulations and their comparison with experimental data for single-jet impingement on ground. Angles between the axisymmetric jet and impingement surface considered are 15, 30 and 90 degree. It is shown that both the k-epsilon and Wray-Agarwal (WA) model can predict the flow fields in good agreement with the experimental results. The second part extends the first part to twin-jet normal impingement on the ground. It focuses on numerical simulation of fountains formed by the twin-jet impingement. The fountains can be normal straight upward when the two jets are …

Autonomous Watercraft Simulation And Programming, Nicholas J. Savino

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Automation of various modes of transportation is thought to make travel more safe and efficient. Over the past several decades advances to semi-autonomous and autonomous vehicles have led to advanced autopilot systems on planes and boats and an increasing popularity of self-driving cars. We simulated the motion of an autonomous vehicle using computational models. The simulation models the motion of a small-scale watercraft, which can then be built and programmed using an Arduino Microcontroller. We examined different control methods for a simulated rescue craft to reach a target. We also examined the effects of different factors, such as various biases …

Experimental And Computational Analysis Of A 3d Printed Wing Structure, Aryslan Malik

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Correct prediction of aeroelastic response is a crucial part in designing flutter or divergence free aircrafts within a designated flight envelope. The aeroelastic analysis includes specifically tailoring the design in order to prevent flutter (passive control) or eliminate it by applying input on control surfaces (active control). High-fidelity models such as coupled Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) - Computational Structural Dynamics (CSD) can obtain full structural and aerodynamic behavior of a deformable aircraft. However, these models are so large that pose a significant challenge from the control systems design perspective. Thus, the development of an aeroelastic modeling software that can be …

Development Of A One-Equation Turbulence Model Based On K-Ε Closure And Its Extension For Computing Transitional Flows By Including An Intermittency Transport Equation, Cheng Peng

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Numerical Study Of Spacer Grid Geometry In A 5 X 5 Nuclear Fuel Rod Bundle, Wan Chuan Fan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Reactor fuel rod bundles serve as the primary heat source in light water reactors (LWRs), commonly found in the aforementioned PWR plants. The fuel rod bundles’ structure consists of a collection of fuel rods put into a parallel grid configuration. The bundles also include fuel rod spacers, which hold the fuel rods in place, in accordance with the grid. Repeating structures of the fuel bundles create the meta-structure in the reactor. In other words, the grid configuration repeats until it fills the entire space of the reactor. This results in reactor fuel rods suspended in the working fluid domain, oriented …

Numerical Analysis And Fluid Flow Modeling Of Incompressible Navier-Stokes Equations, Tahj Hill

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Navier-Stokes equations (NSE) are an essential set of partial differential equations for governing the motion of fluids. In this paper, we will study the NSE for an incompressible flow, one which density ρ = ρ0 is constant.

First, we will present the derivation of the NSE and discuss solutions and boundary conditions for the equations. We will then discuss the Reynolds number, a dimensionless number that is important in the observations of fluid flow patterns. We will study the NSE at various Reynolds numbers, and use the Reynolds number to write the NSE in a nondimensional form.

We will …

Assessing Simulated Transmissivity In Numerical Flow Models Of Complex Hydrogeology, Afan Tarar

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Accurately extracting a meaningful transmissivity, a target value within one order of magnitude of field estimates, in numerical models poses a significant challenge when modeling complex groundwater systems. Aquifer transmissivity is directly proportional to the aquifer thickness and the estimated aquifer hydraulic conductivity. In complex geologic conditions (especially in fractured systems) with multiple heterogeneous and anisotropic hydrogeologic units, transmissivity can vary over several orders of magnitude.

To extract a meaningful value of transmissivity from a numerical model, a simple five-layer MODFLOW model was constructed. Each layer in the model was assigned a fixed hydraulic conductivity and thickness. The model simulates …

Preliminary Test Predictions For Scale Ram-Air Parachute Testing, Christian A. Guzman Zurita

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The present thesis proposes a preliminary analysis to predict the aerodynamic performance for experimental tests of ram-air parachutes in a wind tunnel. A scaled experimental test setup is developed for determining the aerodynamic coefficients of lift (𝐶𝐿) and drag (𝐶𝐷) conducted in a wind tunnel. Additionally, a CFD approach where a steady-state parachute shape defined based on experiments, photographs, and literature, is presented. The accuracy of the simulation depends considerably on the ability to resolve the canopy geometry. Therefore, a CAD geometry generation is implemented for flexible control of the canopy structure by implementing design parameters, e.g., chord, span and …

Cfd Study Of Taylor-Like Vortices In Swirling Flows, Sattar Panahandehgar

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Swirling flows are complex fluid motions that appear in various natural phenomena and man-made devices. Numerous engineering applications such as turbomachinery, jet engine combustion chambers, mixing tanks and industrial burners involve swirling flows. This wide range of applications is due to unique characteristics offered by swirling flows such as increase in mixing rate, heat transfer rate and wall shear stress. In this study the axisymmetric swirling flow behavior in the context of a hybrid rocket engine have been analyzed. While modeling the flow inside a cylindrical chamber using CFD, a similarity with the Taylor vortices instability has been observed. Similar …

Double Wall Cooling Of A Full Coverage Effusion Plate With Main Flow Pressure Gradient, Including Internal Impingement Array Cooling, Sneha R. Vanga, David Ritchie, Austin Click, Zhong Ren, Phil Ligrani, Federico Liberatore, Rajeshriben Patel, Ram Srinivasan, Yin-Hsiang Ho

PRC-Affiliated Research

The present study provides new effusion cooling data for both the surfaces of the fullcoverage effusion cooling plate. For the effusion-cooled surface, presented are spatially resolved distributions of surface adiabatic film cooling effectiveness and surface heat transfer coefficients (measured using transient techniques and infrared thermography). For the impingement-cooled surface, presented are spatially resolved distributions of surface Nusselt numbers (measured using steady-state liquid crystal thermography). To produce this cool-side augmentation, impingement jet arrays at different jet Reynolds numbers, from 2720 to 11,100, are employed. Experimental data are given for a sparse effusion hole array, with spanwise and streamwise impingement hole spacing …

Double Wall Cooling Of A Full Coverage Effusion Plate With Main Flow Pressure Gradient, Including Internal Impingement Array Cooling, Sneha R. Vanga, David Ritchie, Austin Click, Zhong Ren, Phil Ligrani, Federico Liberatore, Rajeshriben Patel, Ram Srinivasan, Yin-Hsiang Ho

PRC-Affiliated Research

The present study provides new effusion cooling data for both the surfaces of the fullcoverage effusion cooling plate. For the effusion-cooled surface, presented are spatially resolved distributions of surface adiabatic film cooling effectiveness and surface heat transfer coefficients (measured using transient techniques and infrared thermography). For the impingement-cooled surface, presented are spatially resolved distributions of surface Nusselt numbers (measured using steady-state liquid crystal thermography). To produce this cool-side augmentation, impingement jet arrays at different jet Reynolds numbers, from 2720 to 11,100, are employed. Experimental data are given for a sparse effusion hole array, with spanwise and streamwise impingement hole spacing …

Double Wall Cooling Of A Full Coverage Effusion Plate With Main Flow Pressure Gradient, Including Internal Impingement Array Cooling, Sneha R. Vanga, David Ritchie, Austin Click, Zhong Ren, Phil Ligrani, Federico Liberatore, Rajeshriben Patel, Ram Srinivasan, Yin-Hsiang Ho

PRC-Affiliated Research

The present study provides new effusion cooling data for both the surfaces of the fullcoverage effusion cooling plate. For the effusion-cooled surface, presented are spatially resolved distributions of surface adiabatic film cooling effectiveness and surface heat transfer coefficients (measured using transient techniques and infrared thermography). For the impingement-cooled surface, presented are spatially resolved distributions of surface Nusselt numbers (measured using steady-state liquid crystal thermography). To produce this cool-side augmentation, impingement jet arrays at different jet Reynolds numbers, from 2720 to 11,100, are employed. Experimental data are given for a sparse effusion hole array, with spanwise and streamwise impingement hole spacing …

Autonomous Watercraft Simulation And Programming, Nicholas J. Savino

Student Scholar Showcase

Automation of various modes of transportation is thought to make travel more safe and efficient. Over the past several decades, advances to semi-autonomous and autonomous vehicles have led to advanced autopilot systems on planes and boats, and an increasing popularity of self-driving cars. We predicted the motion of an autonomous vehicle using simulations in Python. The simulation models the motion of a small scale watercraft, which can then be built and programmed using an Arduino Microcontroller. We examined different control methods for a simulated rescue craft to reach a target. We also examined the effects of different factors, such as …

Scale Interactions Within A Perturbed Plane Wall Jet, Shibani Bhatt

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The current work focuses on exploiting this behavior to manipulate wall turbulence by targeting the large-scales of the flow. In wall turbulence the large-scales of the flow interact with the smaller scales in a non-linear manner including through a process of amplitude and frequency modulation. A plane wall jet (PWJ) is chosen as the model flow field for this work as its unique geometry allows for the controlled introduction of large-scale perturbations through acoustic forcing. The corresponding interactions because of forcing are characterized using single hot-wire measurements. The nearwall response of the PWJ over a range of large-scale forcing showed …

Initial Stage Of Fluid-Structure Interaction Of A Celestial Icosahedron Shaped Vacuum Lighter Than Air Vehicle, Dustin P. Graves

Theses and Dissertations

The analysis of a celestial icosahedron geometry is considered as a potential design for a Vacuum Lighter than Air Vehicle (VLTAV). The goal of the analysis is ultimately to understand the initial fluid-structure interaction of the VLTAV and the surrounding airflow. Up to this point, previous research analyzed the celestial icosahedron VLTAV in relation to withstanding a symmetric sea-level pressure applied to the membrane of the structure. This scenario simulates an internal vacuum being applied in the worst-case atmospheric environmental condition. The next step in analysis is to determine the aerodynamic effects of the geometry. The experimental setup for obtaining …

Analytical Models And Control Design Approaches For A 6 Dof Motion Test Apparatus, Kyra L. Schmidt

Theses and Dissertations

Wind tunnels play an indispensable role in the process of aircraft design, providing a test bed to produce valuable, accurate data that can be extrapolated to actual flight conditions. Historically, time-averaged data has made up the bulk of wind tunnel research, but modern flight design necessitates the use of dynamic wind tunnel testing to provide time-accurate data for high frequency motion. This research explores the use of a 6 degree of freedom (DOF) motion test apparatus (MTA) in the form of a robotic arm to allow models inside a subsonic wind tunnel to track prescribed trajectories to obtain time-accurate force …

Influence Of Leading Edge Oscillatory Blowing On Time-Accurate Dynamic Store Separation, Ryan G. Saunders

Theses and Dissertations

The primary objective of this research is to support the static and dynamic characterization and the time-accurate dynamic load data acquisition of store separation from a cavity with leading edge oscillatory blowing. Developing an understanding of, and potentially controlling, pitch bifurcation of a store release is a motivation for this research. The apparatus and data acquisition system was used in a two-part experiment to collect both static and dynamic testing data in the AFIT low speed wind tunnel in speeds of 60, 100, and 120 mph, from Reynolds numbers varying from 5.5x10⁴ to 4.6x10⁵, depending on reference …

Tracking Shock Movement On The Surface Of An Oscillating, Straked Semispan Delta Wing, Justin A. Pung

Theses and Dissertations

A recent research effort, sponsored by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, numerically investigated the unsteady aerodynamic flow field around an oscillating, straked, delta wing. The study was centered on determining the importance of the unsteady aerodynamic forces acting as a driver for a nonlinear motion known as limit cycle oscillations. The current effort focused on creating a computational model to compare to the results of previous tests and modeling efforts and discover new information regarding the onset of LCO. The computational model was constructed using the Cartesian overset capabilities of the CREATE-AV™ fixed wing fluid dynamics solver Kestrel. …