Reduced-order modeling of high-speed jets controlled by arc filament plasma actuators

Arc filament plasma actuators applied to high-speed and high Reynolds number jets have demonstrated significant mixing enhancement when operated near the jet column mode (JCM) frequency. A feedback-oriented reduced-order model is developed for this flow from experimental data. The existent toolkit of stochastic estimation, proper orthogonal decomposition, and Galerkin projection is adapted to yield a 35-dimensional model for the unforced jet. Explicit inclusion of a "shift mode" stabilizes the model. The short-term predictive capability of instantaneous flow fields is found to degrade beyond a single flow time step, but this horizon may be adequate for feedback control. Statistical results from long-term simulations agree well with experimental observations. The model of the unforced jet is augmented to incorporate the effects of plasma actuation. Periodic forcing is modeled as a deterministic pressure wave specified on the inflow boundary of the modeling domain. Simulations of the forced model capture the nonlinear response that leads to optimal mixing enhancement in a small range of frequencies near the JCM.     

Development and characterization of plasma actuators for high-speed jet control

Active control of high Reynolds number and high-speed jets has been hampered due to the lack of suitable actuators. Some of the attributes that would make an actuator suitable for such flows are: high amplitude and bandwidth; small size for distribution around the jet; phase-locking ability for jet azimuthal mode forcing; and sufficient ruggedness for hot jets. We have been developing a class of actuators termed localized arc filament plasma actuators, which possess such characteristics. In this paper, we present the development and characterization of these actuators as well as preliminary results on their applications in high Reynolds number Mach 0.9 and ideally expanded Mach 1.3 jets.Patent pending     

Analysis of a meshless solver for high Reynolds number flow

In this paper, the extension of an upwind least‐square based meshless solver to high Reynolds number flow is explored, and the properties of the meshless solver are analyzed both theoretically and numerically. Existing works have verified the meshless solver mostly with inviscid flows and low Reynolds number flows, and in this work, we are interested in the behavior of the meshless solver for high Reynolds number flow, especially in the near‐wall region. With both theoretical and numerical analysis, the effects of two parameters on the meshless solver are identified. The first one is the misalignment effect caused by the significantly skewed supporting points, and it is found that the meshless solver still yields accurate prediction. It is a very interesting property and is opposite to the median‐dual control volume based vertex‐centered finite volume method, which is known to give degraded result with stretched triangular/tetrahedral cells in the near‐wall region. The second parameter is the curvature, and according to theoretical analysis, it is found in the region with both large aspect ratio and curvature, and the streamwise residual is less affected; however, the wall‐normal counterpart suffers from accuracy degradation. In this paper, an improved method that uses a meshless solver for the streamwise residual and finite difference for wall‐normal residual is developed. This method is proved to be less sensitive to the curvature and provides improved accuracy. This work presents an understanding of the meshless solver for high Reynolds number flow computation, and the analysis in this paper is verified with a series of numerical experiments. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On factors influencing arc filament plasma actuator performance in control of high speed jets

Localized arc filament plasma actuators (LAFPAs) have been developed and used at The Gas Dynamics and Turbulence Laboratory for the purpose of controlling high-speed and high Reynolds number jets. The ability of LAFPAs for use in both subsonic and supersonic jets has been explored, and experiments to date have shown that these actuators have significant potential for mixing enhancement and noise control applications. While it has been established that the actuators manipulate instabilities of the jet, the exact nature of how the actuation couples to the flow is still unclear. All of the results previously reported have been based on a nozzle extension that has an azimuthal groove of 1 mm width and 0.5 mm depth along the inner surface approximately 1 mm upstream of nozzle extension exit. The ring groove was initially added to shield the plasma arcs from the high-momentum flow. However, the effect of the ring groove on the actuation mechanism is not known. To explore this effect, a new nozzle extension is designed, which relocates the actuators to the nozzle extension face and eliminates the ring groove. Schlieren images, particle image velocimetry and acoustic results of a Mach 0.9 jet of Reynolds number ~6.1 × 10⁵ show similar trends and magnitudes with and without a ring groove. Thus, it is concluded that the ring groove does not play a primary role in the LAFPAs’ control mechanism. Furthermore, the effect of the duty cycle of the actuator input pulse on the LAFPAs’ control authority is investigated. The results show that the minimum duty cycle that provides complete plasma formation has the largest control over the jet.     

A volume-agglomeration multirate time advancing for high Reynolds number flow simulation

A frequent configuration in computational fluid mechanics combines an explicit time advancing scheme for accuracy purposes and a computational grid with a very small portion of much smaller elements than in the remaining mesh. Two examples of such situations are the travel of a discontinuity followed by a moving mesh, and the large eddy simulation of high Reynolds number flows around bluff bodies where together very thin boundary layers and vortices of much more important size need to be captured. For such configurations, multistage explicit time advancing schemes with global time stepping are very accurate but very CPU consuming. In order to reduce this problem, the multirate (MR) time stepping approach represents an interesting improvement. The objective of such schemes, which allow to use different time steps in the computational domain, is to avoid penalizing the computational cost of the time advancement of unsteady solutions that would become large due to the use of small global time steps imposed by the smallest elements such as those constituting the boundary layers. In the present work, a new MR scheme based on control volume agglomeration is proposed for the solution of the compressible Navier-Stokes equations equipped with turbulence models. The method relies on a prediction step where large time steps are performed with an evaluation of the fluxes on macrocells for the smaller elements for stability purpose and a correction step in which small time steps are employed. The accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method are evaluated on several benchmarks flows: the problem of a moving contact discontinuity (inviscid flow), the computation with a hybrid turbulence model of flows around bluff bodies like a flow around a space probe model at Reynolds number 10⁶, a circular cylinder at Reynolds number 8.4 × 10⁶, and two tandem cylinders at Reynolds number 1.66 × 10⁵ and 1.4 × 10⁵.     

Comparison of near-wall treatment methods for high Reynolds number backward-facing step flow

A comparison of near-wall treatment methods using different turbulence models for flow over a backward-facing step is presented. A Reynolds number (Re) of about 38,000 (U _∞ = 44.2 m/s), based on the step height and the mean stream velocity, was considered. An appropriate near-wall treatment method is critical to the choice of turbulence model used to predict wall-bounded flow. Predictions were obtained by applying standard wall functions, non-equilibrium wall functions and a two-layer model with six different turbulence models. These results were compared with data by Driver and Seegmiller (“Backward-facing step with inclined opposite wall—experiments by driver and seegmiller”, 1985a, http://cfd.me.umist.ac.uk/ercoftac [2003, Jan 31]). Non-equilibrium wall functions with modified k ? ? models predicted the closest reattachment length. However, the two-layer model gave results more representative of the entire flow pattern. The predictions show that a proper combination of turbulence models and near-wall treatment methods give reliable results.     

Asymptotic analysis of stability problem of plane poiseuille flow for high Reynolds number

A study of the stability of plane Poiseuille flow at higher Reynolds number is made. Within a “triple-deck” structural framework, the qualitative behavior of the eingenvalue of Orr-Sommerfeld equation is analytically obtained. The corresponding eigenfunction is formulated approximately.     

Critical transition Reynolds number for plane channel flow

The determination of the critical transition Reynolds number is of practical importance for some engineering problems. However, it is not available with the current theoretical method, and has to rely on experiments. For supersonic/hypersonic boundary layer flows, the experimental method for determination is not feasible either. Therefore,in this paper, a numerical method for the determination of the critical transition Reynolds number for an incompressible plane channel flow is proposed. It is basically aimed to test the feasibility of the method. The proposed method is extended to determine the critical Reynolds number of the supersonic/hypersonic boundary layer flow in the subsequent papers.     

Surface‐sampled simulations of turbulent flow at high Reynolds number

A new approach to turbulence simulation, based on a combination of large eddy simulation (LES) for the whole flow and an array of non–space‐filling quasi‐direct numerical simulations (QDNS), which sample the response of near‐wall turbulence to large‐scale forcing, is proposed and evaluated. The technique overcomes some of the cost limitations of turbulence simulation, since the main flow is treated with a coarse‐grid LES, with the equivalent of wall functions supplied by the near‐wall sampled QDNS. Two cases are tested, at friction Reynolds number Re_τ=4200 and 20000. The total grid point count for the first case is less than half a million and less than 2 million for the second case, with the calculations only requiring a desktop computer. A good agreement with published direct numerical simulation (DNS) is found at Re_τ=4200, both in the mean velocity profile and the streamwise velocity fluctuation statistics, which correctly show a substantial increase in near‐wall turbulence levels due to a modulation of near‐wall streaks by large‐scale structures. The trend continues at Re_τ=20000, in agreement with experiment, which represents one of the major achievements of the new approach. A number of detailed aspects of the model, including numerical resolution, LES‐QDNS coupling strategy and subgrid model are explored. A low level of grid sensitivity is demonstrated for both the QDNS and LES aspects. Since the method does not assume a law of the wall, it can in principle be applied to flows that are out of equilibrium.     

Trailing-edge dynamics of a morphing NACA0012 aileron at high Reynolds number by high-speed PIV

Particle image velocimetry (piv) measurements are made at the trailing edge of a piezoelectric actuated aileron in order to investigate the physical effect on the flow via high-frequency low-amplitude actuation at high Reynolds numbers. The measurements at different actuation frequencies show the modification of the primary frequency components of the flow with the actuation frequency. A statistical analysis reveals the reduction of the Reynolds stress components which increases with the actuation frequency. Proper orthogonal decomposition (pod) analysis shows the modification of the spatial modes illustrating the vortex breakdown in the shear-layer and the reduction of the temporal mode spectral energy depending on the actuation. It has been shown that a specific low amplitude actuation frequency produces a significant reduction of the predominant shear-layer frequency.     

Passive control of wake flow by two small control cylinders at Reynolds number 80

Passive control of the wake behind a circular cylinder in uniform flow is studied by numerical simulation at Re_D=80. Two small control cylinders are placed symmetrically along the separating shear layers at various stream locations. In the present study, the detailed flow mechanisms that lead to a significant reduction in the fluctuating lift but maintain the shedding vortex street are clearly revealed. When the stream locations lie within 0.8≤X_C/D≤3.0, the alternate shedding vortex street remains behind the control cylinders. In this case, the symmetric standing eddies immediately behind the main cylinder and the downstream delay of the shedding vortex street are the two primary mechanisms that lead to a 70–80% reduction of the fluctuating lift on the main cylinder. Furthermore, the total drag of all the cylinders still has a maximum 5% reduction. This benefit is primarily attributed to the significant reduction of the pressure drag on the main cylinder. Within X_C/D>3.0, the symmetry of the standing eddy breaks down and the staggered vortex street is similar to that behind a single cylinder at the same Reynolds number. In the latter case, the mean pressure drag and the fluctuating lift coefficients on the main cylinder will recover to the values of a single cylinder.     

Stall control at high angle of attack with plasma sheet actuators

We analyzed the modifications of the airflow around an NACA 0015 airfoil when the flow was perturbed with electrohydrodynamic forces. The actuation was produced with a plasma sheet device (PSD) consisting in two bare electrodes flush mounted on the surface of the wing profile operated to obtain a discharge contouring the body in the inter-electrode space. We analyze the influence of different parameters of the actuation (frequency, input power, electrodes position) on the aerodynamic performance of the airfoil, basing our study on measurements of the surface pressure distribution and of the flow fields with particle image velocimetry technique. The experiments indicated that at moderate Reynolds numbers (150,000 < Re < 333,000) and at high angles of attack, steady or periodic actuations enabled large improvement of the lift and drag/lift aerodynamic coefficients by reattaching the flow along the extrados. However, to attain the same results steady actuations required larger power consumption. When exciting the flow with a moderate value of non-dimensional power coefficient (ratio of electric power flow with the kinetic power flow), a frequency of excitation produced a peak on the coefficients that evaluate the airfoil performance. This peak in terms of a non-dimensional frequency was close to 0.4 and can be associated to an optimal frequency of excitation. However, our work indicates that this peak is not constant for all stalled flow conditions and should be analyzed considering scale factors that take into account the ratio of the length where the forcing acts and the cord length.     

Wake flow pattern modified by small control cylinders at low Reynolds number

Passive wake control behind a circular cylinder in uniform flow is studied by numerical simulation for Re_D ranging from 80 to 300. Two small control cylinders, with diameter d/D=1/8, are placed at x/D=0.5 and y/D=±0.6. Unlike the 1990 results of Strykowski and Sreenivasan, in the present study, the vortex street behind the main cylinder still exists but the fluctuating lift and the form drag on the main cylinder reduces significantly and monotonously as the Reynolds number increases from 80 to 300. Obstruction of the control cylinders to the incoming flow deflects part of the fluid to pass through the gap between the main and control cylinders, forming two symmetric streams. These streams not only eliminate the flow separation along the rear surface of the main cylinder, they also merge toward the wake centerline to create an advancing momentum in the immediate near-wake region. These two effects significantly reduce the wake width behind the main cylinder and lead to monotonous decrease of the form drag as the Reynolds number increases. As the Reynolds number gets higher, a large amount of the downstream advancing momentum significantly delays the vortex formation farther downstream, leading to a more symmetric flow structure in the near-wake region of the main cylinder. As the Reynolds number increases from 80 to 300, both increasing symmetry of the flow structure in the near-wake and significant delay of the vortex formation are the main reasons for the fluctuating lift to decrease monotonously.     

Computation of high Reynolds number flow around a circular cylinder with surface roughness

Incompressible high-Reynolds-number flows around a circular cylinder are analyzed by direct integration of the Navier-Stokes equations using finite-difference method. A generalized coordinate system is used so that a sufficient number of grid points are distributed in the boundary layer and the wake. A numerical scheme which suppresses non-linear instability for calculations of high-Reynolds-number flows is developed. The computation of an impulsively started flow at Re = 1200 is compared with corresponding experimental observations, and excellent agreements are obtained.A series of computations are carried out on the flow around a circular cylinder with surface roughness. The height of the roughness in these computations is 0.5% of the diameter. The range of Reynolds numbers is from 10³ to 10⁵; no turbulence model is employed. Sharp reduction of drag coefficient is observed near Re = 2 × 10⁴, which indicates that the critical Reynolds number is captured in the present computation.     

Optical measurement techniques for high Reynolds number train investigations

This article reports on experimental aerodynamic investigations on a generic high-speed train configuration performed within two different wind tunnels. Both wind tunnels are specialized facilities for high Reynolds number investigations and offer low turbulence levels. The wind tunnels are the cryogenic wind tunnel located in Cologne (KKK) and in the high-pressure wind tunnel located in Göttingen (HDG). Both facilities are part of the German–Dutch wind tunnel association (DNW). The adaptation and application of three optical measurement techniques for such high Reynolds number investigations is described in the article. The optical methods are: Particle Image Velocimetry for the measurement of velocity fields, Background Oriented Schlieren technique for density gradient measurements, and a white light Digital Speckle Photography technique for model deformation monitoring.     

A finite element method for high Reynolds number viscous fluid flow using two step explicit scheme

This paper presents the finite element method for the analysis of unsteady viscous flow of fluid at high Reynolds numbers. The method is based on the explicit numerical integration scheme in time and uses three node triangular finite elements. For the convenience of the formulation, slight compressibility is considered. For the explicit scheme, the selective lumping two step scheme has been successfully employed. Vortex shedding behind a cylinder has been computed and compared with the conventional experimental results. The results agree favourably when both schemes are compared.     

高雷诺数壁湍流的研究进展及挑战

高雷诺数壁湍流(high Reynolds number wall-bounded turbulence,HRNWT)是目前湍流科学研究的一个热点也是一个难点,对其现象、规律及机制的认知不足,理论体系远未建立而且研究手段受到各种限制.本文基于对HRNWT主要研究手段的介绍,针对HRNWT中的湍流统计量、超大尺度结构(very large scale motions,VLSMs)的尺度和形态以及起源和影响及其与颗粒的相互作用,总结了HRNWT的研究现状和最新进展,特别梳理了近年来本文作者团队在HRNWT特别是高雷诺数颗粒两相壁湍流方面的研究成果,并对HRNWT的进一步研究给出了建议及展望.      

Nonlinear aspects of high Reynolds number channel flows

This paper considers the flow in a two-dimensional channel at high Reynolds number, with wall deformations which can lead to flow separation. An asymptotic model is proposed by using the successive complementary expansion method with generalized asymptotic expansions. In particular, the model emphasizes the asymmetry of the channel geometry by introducing a change of variables. It is shown that the model is more general than the models developed with the method of matched asymptotic expansions. Comparisons with Navier–Stokes solutions show that the model is well founded and enables us to treat original problems.     

Numerical continuation of high Reynolds number external flows

A numerical continuation method for the compressible Reynolds‐Averaged Navier–Stokes equation with the Spalart–Allmaras turbulence model is presented and applied to the flow around a 2D airfoil. Using continuation methods it is possible to study the steady flow states of a system as a parameter such as angle of attack is varied. This approach allows unstable solutions to be calculated, which are important for understanding the nonlinear dynamics of the system. Furthermore, this method can be used to find any multivalued solutions that exist at a single parameter value. The eigenvalues of the system are calculated using the Cayley transform to precondition the eigenvalue solver ARPACK. The eigenvalues are important as they show the stability of the solutions as well as accurately detect parameter values at which bifurcations take place. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.