Browsing by Subject "CFD"
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Item Open Access A Nonlinear Harmonic Balance Solver for an Implicit CFD Code: OVERFLOW 2(2009) Custer, Chad H.A National Aeronautics and Space Administration computational fluid dynamics code, OVERFLOW 2, was modified to utilize a harmonic balance solution method. This modification allows for the direct calculation of the nonlinear frequency-domain solution of a periodic, unsteady flow while avoiding the time consuming calculation of long physical transients that arise in aeroelastic applications.
With the usual implementation of this harmonic balance method, converting an implicit flow solver from a time marching solution method to a harmonic balance solution method results in an unstable numerical scheme. However, a relatively simple and computationally inexpensive stabilization technique has been developed and is utilized. With this stabilization technique, it is possible to convert an existing implicit time-domain solver to a nonlinear frequency-domain method with minimal modifications to the existing code.
This new frequency-domain version of OVERFLOW 2 utilizes the many features of the original code, such as various discretization methods and several turbulence models. The use of Chimera overset grids in OVERFLOW 2 requires care when implemented in the frequency-domain. This research presents a harmonic balance version of OVERFLOW 2 that is capable of solving on overset grids for sufficiently small unsteady amplitudes.
Item Open Access Aeroelastic Instabilities due to Unsteady Aerodynamics(2015) Besem, Fanny MaudOne of the grand challenges faced by industry is the accurate prediction of unsteady aerodynamics events, including frequency lock-in and forced response. These aeromechanical incidents occurring in airplane engines and gas turbines can cause high-amplitude blade vibration and potential failure of the engine or turbine. During the last decades, the development of computational fluid dynamics has allowed the design and optimization of complex components while reducing the need for expensive engine testing. However, the validation of frequency lock-in and forced response numerical results with experimental data is very incomplete. Despite tremendous advances in computational capabilities, industry is still looking to validate design tools and guidelines to avoid these potentially costly aeroelastic events early in the design process.
The research efforts presented in this dissertation investigate the aeroelastic phenomena of frequency lock-in and forced response in turbomachinery. First, frequency lock-in is predicted for two structures, namely a two-dimensional cylinder and a single three-dimensional airfoil, and the results are compared to experimental data so that the methods can be extended to more complex structures. For these two simpler structures, a frequency domain harmonic balance code is used to estimate the natural shedding frequency and the corresponding lock-in region. Both the shedding frequencies and the lock-in regions obtained by an enforced motion method agree with experimental data from previous literature and wind tunnel tests. Moreover, the aerodynamic model of the vibrating cylinder is coupled with the structural equations of motion to form a fluid-structure interaction model and to compute the limit-cycle oscillation amplitude of the cylinder. The extent of the lock-in region matches the experimental data very well, yet the peak amplitude is underestimated in the numerical model. We demonstrate that the inclusion of the cylinder second degree of freedom has a significant impact on the cylinder first degree of freedom amplitude. Moreover, it is observed that two harmonics need to be kept in the equations of motion for accurate prediction of the unsteady forces on the cylinder.
The second important topic covered is a comprehensive forced response analysis conducted on a multi-stage axial compressor and compared with the initial data of the largest forced response experimental data set ever obtained in the field. Both a frequency domain and a time domain codes are used. The steady-state and time-averaged aerodynamic performance results compare well with experimental data, although losses are underestimated due to the lack of secondary flow paths and fillets in the model. The use of mixing planes in the steady simulations underpredicts the wakes by neglecting the important interactions between rows. Therefore, for similar cases with significant flow separation, the use of a decoupled method for forced response predictions cannot yield accurate results. A full multi-row transient analysis must be conducted for accurate prediction of the wakes and surface unsteady pressures. Finally, for the first time, predicted mistuned blade amplitudes are compared to mistuned experimental data. The downstream stator is found to be necessary for the accurate prediction of the modal forces and vibration amplitudes. The mistuned rotor is shown to be extremely sensitive to perturbations in blade frequency mistuning, aerodynamic asymmetry, and excitation traveling wave content. Since this dissertation presents the initial results of a five-year research program, more research will be conducted on this compressor to draw guidelines that can be used by aeromechanical engineers to safely avoid forced response events in the design of jet engines and gas turbines.
Item Open Access CFD Optimization of Small Gas Ejectors Used in Navy Diving Systems(2012) Cornman, Jacob KennethOptimization of small gas ejectors is typically completed by selecting a single set of operating conditions and optimizing the geometry for the specified conditions. The U.S. Navy is interested in utilizing a small gas ejector design in multiple diving systems with varying operational conditions. This thesis is directed at developing a Quasi Newton-Raphson Multivariate Optimization method using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to evaluate finite difference approximations. These approximations are then used as inputs to the gradient vector and the Hessian matrix of the standard Newton-Raphson multivariate optimization method. This optimization method was shown to be timely enough for use in the design phase of a multiple parameter system.
CFD investigation of the level curves of the simulation cost function hypersurface verified the success of the method presented at optimizing each independent parameter. Additional CFD simulations were used to investigate the ejector performance for operational conditions deviating from the operational conditions used during optimization. A correlation was developed for selecting the optimum throat diameter, and corresponding maximum efficiency, as functions of the input conditions only. Experimental models were manufactured using fused deposition modeling and evaluated with good agreement to the CFD simulation results.
Item Open Access Computational Studies of Buffet and Fluid-Structure Interaction in Various Flow Regimes(2020) Kruger Bastos, Kai MbaliThis dissertation explores a fluid instability known as buffet, which occurs in the subsonic, transonic, and supersonic regimes. Buffet has been observed in experiments and various computational studies, and its underlying physics are not well-established. The goal of this document is to provide insight into various configurations which produce buffet and attempt to understand the flow physics at play.
Item Open Access Flutter and Forced Response of Turbomachinery with Frequency Mistuning and Aerodynamic Asymmetry(2008-04-25) Miyakozawa, TomokazuThis dissertation provides numerical studies to improve bladed disk assembly design for preventing blade high cycle fatigue failures. The analyses are divided into two major subjects. For the first subject presented in Chapter 2, the mechanisms of transonic fan flutter for tuned systems are studied to improve the shortcoming of traditional method for modern fans using a 3D time-linearized Navier-Stokes solver. Steady and unsteady flow parameters including local work on the blade surfaces are investigated. It was found that global local work monotonically became more unstable on the pressure side due to the flow rollback effect. The local work on the suction side significantly varied due to nodal diameter and flow rollback effect. Thus, the total local work for the least stable mode is dominant by the suction side. Local work on the pressure side appears to be affected by the shock on the suction side. For the second subject presented in Chapter 3, sensitivity studies are conducted on flutter and forced response due to frequency mistuning and aerodynamic asymmetry using the single family of modes approach by assuming manufacturing tolerance. The unsteady aerodynamic forces are computed using CFD methods assuming aerodynamic symmetry. The aerodynamic asymmetry is applied by perturbing the influence coefficient matrix. These aerodynamic perturbations influence both stiffness and damping while traditional frequency mistuning analysis only perturbs the stiffness. Flutter results from random aerodynamic perturbations of all blades showed that manufacturing variations that effect blade unsteady aerodynamics may cause a stable, perfectly symmetric engine to flutter. For forced response, maximum blade amplitudes are significantly influenced by the aerodynamic perturbation of the imaginary part (damping) of unsteady aerodynamic modal forces. This is contrary to blade frequency mistuning where the stiffness perturbation dominates.