Transonic Hodograph Design Problems

The hodograph method is used to formulate several design problems in transonic flow using small-disturbance theory. Analytical and numerical methods give solutions to several optimum critical airfoil designs with different constraints on the tail angle. Special airfoil shapes flying at free-stream Mach number one are designed. The problem of constructing a shock-free body of revolution at subsonic speed but having a supersonic zone is formulated in the hodograph and solved numerically. Received 10 January 1997 and accepted 14 April 1997     

One method of profiling short plane nozzles

One of the possible methods is considered for profiling short plane nozzles for aerodynamic tubes. The nozzle has a straight sonic line, which allows the subsonic and supersonic sections to be constructed separately. The problem is solved numerically in the plane of a hodograph. In the subsonic region, Dirichlet's problem is formulated for Chaplygin's equation in a rectangle, one side of which is the sonic line. At the present time, two approaches have been defined in papers on calculations of a Laval nozzle, associated with the solution of the so-called “direct” and “inverse” problems (one has in mind a study of the flow in the interconnected region of sub- and supersonic flow). The direct problem determines the flow field in the case of a previously specified contour of the channel wall, the shape of which from technical considerations is obtained with certain geometry conditions. The direct problem can be applied in the construction of the Laval nozzle, if the contour of the inlet section of the channel (generally speaking, quite arbitrary) is chosen so successfully that neither shock compressions nor breakaway zones result in the flow. Although a strictly mathematical theory of the direct problem of the Laval nozzle is only being developed at present, there are still very effective numerical methods for its solution [1, 2]. In the inverse problem (which, by definition, is a problem of profiling), the contour of the nozzle is found with respect to a specified velocity distribution on the axis of symmetry. It is assumed that this quite arbitrary dependence can be selected from the condition of the absence of breakaway zones and shock compressions in the nozzle. By its formulation, the inverse problem is Cauchy's problem which, as is well-known, is incorrect in the classical sense in the ellipticity region — the subsonic section of the nozzle. At present, there are also efficient methods of solving the inverse nozzle problem [3], by interpreting it as an arbitrarily correct problem. Difficulties can arise in the inverse problem, in the provision of short (and, consequently, steep) nozzles because of the sharp increase of the error in the calculation. Together with the stated problems, a procedure can be evolved which is associated with the solution of the correctly posed problem for Chaplygin's equation in the plane of the hodograph. This approach is convenient in that it succeeds a priori in fulfilling the important condition of monotonicity of the velocity at the wall, ensuring (in the absence of shock compressions) nonseparability of the streamline flow at any Reynold's numbers.     

Hodograph method of flow on two-dimensional manifold

For some special flows, especially the potential flow in a plane, using the hodograph method has obvious advantages. Realistic flows have a stream surface, namely, a two-dimensional manifold, on which the velocity vector of the flow lies on its tangent space. By introducing a stream function and a potential function, we establish the hodo- graph method for potential flows on a surface using the tensor analysis. For the derived hodograph equation, we obtain a characteristic equation and its characteristic roots, from which we can classify the type of the second-order hodograph equation. Moreover, we give some examples for special surfaces.     

Use of the plane of the hodograph with the shaping of an axisymmetric laval nozzle by a numerical method

In the development of [1] a method is proposed for solving the problem of the shaping of the subsonic part of an axisymmetric Laval nozzle with a straignt sonic line: the Dirichlet problem with a piecewise-continuous boundary function is stated and solved by a numerical method for a nonlinear equation of the second order in the plane of the hodograph.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 1, pp. 164–168, January–February, 1977.     

Laval nozzle flow calculation

The inverse problem of the theory of the Laval nozzle is considered, which leads to the Cauchy problem for the gasdynamic equations; the streamlines and the flow parameters are found from the known velocity distribution on the axis of symmetry.The inverse problem of Laval nozzle theory was considered in 1908 by Meyer [1], who expanded the velocity potential into a series in powers of the Cartesian coordinates and constructed the subsonic and supersonic solutions in the vicinity of the center of the nozzle. Taylor [2] used a similar method to construct a flowfield which is subsonic but has local supersonic zones in the vicinity of the minimal section. Frankl [3] and Fal'kovich [4] studied the flow in the vicinity of the nozzle center in the hodograph plane. Their solution, just as the Meyer solution, made it possible to obtain an idea of the structure of the transonic flow in the vicinity of the center of the nozzle.A large number of studies on transonic flow in the vicinity of the center of the nozzle have been made using the method of small perturbations. The approximate equation for the transonic velocity potential in the physical plane, obtained in [3–6], has been studied in detail for the plane and axisymmetric cases. In [7] Ryzhov used this equation to study the question of the formation of shock waves in the vicinity of the center of the nozzle, and conditions were formulated for the plane and axisymmetric cases under which the flow will not contain shock waves. However, none of the solutions listed above for the inverse problem of Laval nozzle theory makes it possible to calculate the flow in the subsonic and transonic parts of the nozzles with large gradients of the gasdynamic parameters along the normal to the axis of symmetry.Among the studies devoted to the numerical calculation of the flow in the subsonic portion of the Laval nozzle we should note the study of Alikhashkin et al., and the work of Favorskii [9], in which the method of integral relations was used to solve the direct problem for the plane and axisymmetric cases.The present paper provides a numerical solution of the inverse problem of Laval nozzle theory. A stable difference scheme is presented which permits analysis with a high degree of accuracy of the subsonic, transonic, and supersonic flow regions. The result of the calculations is a series of nozzles with rectilinear and curvilinear transition surfaces in which the flow is significantly different from the one-dimensional flow. The flowfield in the subsonic and transonic portions of the nozzles is studied. Several asymptotic solutions are obtained and a comparison is made of these solutions with the numerical solution.The author wishes to thank G. D. Vladimirov for compiling the large number of programs and carrying out the calculations on the M-20 computer.     

Asymptotic representation of the solution in the hodograph plane in transonic flow problems around profiles

The flow around a slender profile by an ideal gas flow at a constant, almost sonic, velocity at infinity is considered. The behavior of the perturbed stream in the domain upstream of the compression shocks sufficiently remote from the streamlined body is studied. The question is investigated of what conditions the solution in the hodograph plane satisfies when it corresponds to a flow without singularities on the limit characteristic in the physical flow plane. It is known that cases are possible when a regular solution in the hodograph plane loses its regularity property upon being mapped into the physical plane [1]. A regular flow on the limit characteristic can be continued analytically downstream into the supersonic domain between the limit characteristic and the shock. The requirement of analyticity of the streamlined profile is essential for realizability of the flow under consideration.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 1, pp. 84–88, January–February, 1976.In conclusion, the author is grateful to O. S. Ryzhov for discussing the research.     

Investigation of flow separation in a transonic-fan linear cascade using visualization methods

An extensive experimental study into the nature of the separated flows on the blade suction surface of modern transonic fans is described in this paper. The study was a subtask of a larger experimental effort focused on blade flutter excited by flow separation in the blade tip region. The tip sections of airfoils on transonic fan blades are designed for precompression and consequently they differ from sections on the rest of the blade. The blade tip section was modeled by a low aspect ratio blade and therefore most of the blade tested was exposed to the secondary flow effects. The aim of this work was to supply reliable data on flow separation on transonic fan blades for validation of future analytical studies. The experimental study focused on two visualization techniques: surface flow visualization using dye oils and schlieren (and shadowgraph) flow visualization. The following key observations were made during the study. For subsonic inlet flow, the flow on the suction surface of the blade was separated over a large portion of the blade, and the separated area increased with increasing inlet Mach number. For the supersonic inlet flow condition, the flow was attached from the leading edge up to the point where a bow shock from the upper neighboring blade imposed on the blade surface. Downstream, there was a separated flow region in which air flowed in the direction opposite the inlet flow. Finally, past the separated flow region, the flow reattached to the blade surface. For subsonic inlet flow, the low cascade solidity resulted in an increased area of separated flow. For supersonic flow conditions, the low solidity resulted in an improvement in flow over the suction surface.     

Asymmetric flow of subsonic and sonic jets over an infinite wedge

A study is made of the flow of subsonic or sonic jets over an infinite wedge when the stagnation streamline bifurcates at the tip of the wedge. This regime can be realized only for a definite (previously unknown) relationship between the geometrical parameters. The problem is solved in the hodograph plane by the numerical method of [1] developed for the problem of a profiled Laval nozzle. A solution to the asymmetric problem obtained in the hodograph plane can be realized physically only for a definite relationship between the boundary values for the flow function. This relationship (which generalizes Prandtl's well-known formula [2] derived for asymmetric flow of incompressible jets over a plate on the basis of the momentum theorem) is obtained by analyzing the asymptotic behavior of the solution near the stagnation point. Examples of calculations are given.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 2, pp. 137–141, March–April, 1980.     

A particular solution for the chaplygin equation

In the theoretical studies of several gasdynamic problems a major role is played by the hodograph plane, where the equations in terms of velocity component variables are linear. In these studies a primary role is played by the Chaplygin equation for the stream function . Chaplygin [1] obtained a general solution for the equation of motion in the hodograph plane. Particular exact solutions of the hodograph are also known [2]: radial flow, spiral flow, etc. Below we consider a particular solution of the Chaplygin equation.     

Contouring the nozzles producing a uniform supersonic flow or a thrust maximum in the presence of a curvilinear sonic line

Within the framework of the ideal, i.e., inviscid and non-heat conducting, gas model we consider the problem of designing the supersonic section of a two-dimensional or axisymmetric nozzle realizing a uniform supersonic flow limitingly similar with a sonic flow when the choked flow involves a curvilinear sonic line. Emphasis is placed on nozzles with abruptly or steeply converging subsonic sections and a strongly curved sonic line formed by the C ⁻-characteristics of the expansion fan with the focus at the lower bend point of the vertical section of the subsonic contour. In the two-dimensional case, the least possible greater-than-unity Mach number M _em at the nozzle exit corresponds to the flow in which the first intersection of the C ⁺-characteristics originated at the closing C ⁻-characteristic of the expansion fan falls on the unknown contour of its supersonic part. For a uniform flow with M _e < M _em the intersection of C ⁺-characteristics beneath the unknown contour make impossible its construction. A part of the contour realizing a uniform flow with M _em > 1 ensures a limitingly rapid flow acceleration and forms the initial region of the supersonic generator of a maximum-thrust nozzle. For this reason, in the case of a curvilinear sonic line the supersonic generators of these nozzles have two, rather than one, bends, which, however, is interesting only for the theory. At least, in the calculated examples the thrusts of the nozzles with one and two bends differ only by a hundredth or even thousandth fractions of per cent.     

A finite element solution of unsteady two-dimensional flow in cascades

A theory is presented for unsteady two-dimensional potential transonic flow in cascades of compressor and turbine blades using a mesh of triangular finite elements. The theory leads to a computer program, FINSUP, which is fast and has moderate storage requirements, so that it can be run on a personal computer. Comparisons with other theories in special cases show that the program is accurate in subsonic flow, and that in supersonic flow, although the wave effects are smeared by the numerical process, the results for overall blade force and moment have acceptable accuracy. The program is useful for engineering assessment of unstalled flutter of actual compressor and turbine blades.     

Performance evaluation of an inverse integral equation method applied to turbomachine cascades

An improved formulation of the inverse integral equation method proposed in Reference 1 is presented which allows, in particular, a well-posed problem to be ensured. The corresponding computation code is tested in an exhaustive manner for axial and radial compressor and turbine cascades. The agreement between the velocity field obtained with the inverse method and that resulting from a direct calculation is examined for subsonic, transonic and supersonic flows. Accuracy and reliability of the solution to the boundary condition problem are excellent for the subsonic and transonic flows. However, for the supersonic flow, the application of the method seems to be limited by the use of elementary solutions of the Laplace operator.     

Investigation by experiment and calculation of a supersonic stream adjacent to a wall in an accompanying supersonic flow

In well-known papers devoted to the investigation of supersonic streams adjacent to a wall, the authors, as a rule, restrict themselves to the case of a subsonic blast. In the present paper we determine the velocity field and the concentration field of an admixture of helium in a plane supersonic stream of air (M₁=2.18), propagating along a surface in an accompanying supersonic flow of air (M₂=2.7 and 3.8). In the boundary layer approximation a numerical calculation is made of the non-self-similar isobaric flow, using the equation for the turbulent viscosity [1] as the closing relationship. Results of the calculation are compared with experimental data.Moscow. Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 4, pp. 25–32, July–August, 1972.     

Viscous transonic spiral and radial flow

Similarity solutions of the viscous transonic equation describing source and source vortex flows have been found. These solutions contain shock-like transitions from the supersonic to the subsonic branch of the corresponding inviscid solutions, while the singularity near the sonic point of the inviscid solutions is shifted to a smaller radius. It is shown that this similarity solution is identical to the transonic viscous compressible source and sink flow solutions of Wu (1955) and Sakurai (1958).     

Flow investigation in separation zones ahead of supersonic jets in a subsonic stream

The flow in the three-dimensional separation zone of a turbulent boundary layer on a plate in front of a supersonic jet injected perpendicularly to the subsonic drifing flow is considered. The purpose of the investigation is to establish the physical singularities of subsonic flow around a supersonic jet obstacle and to obtain dependences of the geometric flow characteristics on the free-stream and injected-jet parameters. Results of an experimental investigation permitted proposing approximate dependences of the geometric three-dimensional separation-zone characteristics which appear in the subsonic stream ahead of a jet obstacle.     

Use of direct variational methods to optimize axisymmetric Laval nozzles in the case of equilibrium and nonequilibrium two-phase flows

In the construction of the optimal profile of a Laval nozzle when there are subsonic regions in the flow, the use of effective methods such as the general method of Lagrangian multipliers [1] becomes very difficult. In the present paper, direct variational methods are therefore used. For nozzles, these methods were used for the first time to profile the supersonic parts of nozzles in the case of nonequilibrium two-phase flows by Dritov and Tishin [2]. For equilibrium flows, they have been used to optimize supersonic nozzles [3, 4] and in the construction of a profile of the subsonic part of a nozzle ensuring parallel sonic flow in the minimal section of the nozzle [3].Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 1, pp. 181–183, January–February, 1982.I thank A. N. Kraiko for a number of helpful comments in a discussion of the formulation of the problem.     

Quasi‐One‐Dimensional Riemann Problems and Their Role in Self‐Similar Two‐Dimensional Problems

We study two‐dimensional Riemann problems with piecewise constant data. We identify a class of two‐dimensional systems, including many standard equations of compressible flow, which are simplified by a transformation to similarity variables. For equations in this class, a two‐dimensional Riemann problem with sectorially constant data becomes a boundary‐value problem in the finite plane. For data leading to shock interactions, this problem separates into two parts: a quasi‐one‐dimensional problem in supersonic regions, and an equation of mixed type in subsonic regions. We prove a theorem on local existence of solutions of quasi‐one‐dimensional Riemann problems. For 2 × 2 systems, we generalize a theorem of Courant & Friedrichs, that any hyperbolic state adjacent to a constant state must be a simple wave. In the subsonic regions, where the governing equation is of mixed hyperbolic‐elliptic type, we show that the elliptic part is degenerate at the boundary, with a nonlinear variant of a degeneracy first described by Keldysh. (Accepted December 4, 1997)     

Profiling the Supersonic Part of a Plug Nozzle with a Nonuniform Transonic Flow

The effect of transonic flow nonuniformity on the profiling of optimal plug nozzles is studied in the inviscid gas approximation. Sonic and supersonic regions providing maximum thrust for given nozzle dimensions and a given outer pressure are designed for given subsonic contours and calculated nonuniform transonic flows. As in the case of uniform flow on a cylindrical sonic surface, the initial regions of the designed contours satisfy the condition that in these regions the flow Mach number is unity or near-unity. In all the examples calculated, the optimal plug nozzles produce a greater thrust than the optimal axisymmetric and annular nozzles with a near-axial flow for the same lengths and the same gas flow rates through the nozzle. It is established that contouring without regard for transonic flow nonuniformity can result in considerable thrust losses. However, these losses are due only to a decrease in the flow rate, while the specific thrust may even increase slightly.     

Steady/unsteady aerodynamic analysis of wings at subsonic,sonic and supersonic Mach numbers using a 3D panel method

This paper treats the kernel function of an integral equation that relates a known or prescribed upwash distribution to an unknown lift distribution for a finite wing. The pressure kernel functions of the singular integral equation are summarized for all speed range in the Laplace transform domain. The sonic kernel function has been reduced to a form, which can be conveniently evaluated as a finite limit from both the subsonic and supersonic sides when the Mach number tends to one. Several examples are solved including rectangular wings, swept wings, a supersonic transport wing and a harmonically oscillating wing. Present results are given with other numerical data, showing continuous results through the unit Mach number. Computed results are in good agreement with other numerical results. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Visual observations of supersonic transverse jets

We present experimental results on penetration of round sonic and supersonic jets normal to a supersonic cross flow. It is found that penetration is strongly dependent on momentum ratio, weakly dependent on free-stream Mach number, and practically independent of jet Mach number, pressure ratio, and density ratio. The overall scaling of penetration is not very different from that established for subsonic jets. The flow is very unsteady, with propagating pressure waves seen emanating from the orifice of helium jets.