Numerical simulations of flowfields around an airfoil model mounted in the high-Reynolds-number, two-dimensional, transonic wind tunnel of the National Aerospace Laboratory are performed in this paper. Existence of four types of flow pattern at Mach numbers from 0.7 to 0.8, depending on an angle of attack and Reynolds number, is known from experimental studies for the BGK No. 1 airfoil. Present paper demonstrates to be able to simulate these flow patterns by numerical approach. The full Navier-Stokes equations with the Baldwin-Lomax turbulence model are solved by a cell-centered finite-volume method. The method utilizes the Roe's flux difference splitting scheme with third-order MUSCL approach for estimation of inviscid flux and the Galerkin-type approximation which results in central-difference-like formulas for viscous flux. Simulated flowfields are compared with experimental data in very good agreement. The flowfields are analyzed in detail.
For the construction of large space structures, onorbit fabrication of cable net structures is proposed. This is accomplished by transporting coiled stock of prepreg of CFRP cable to the orbit from the earth and curing it by means of resistance heating whose operating power is supplied by solar electric system. Laboratory tests indicate that CFRP cables can be cured uniformly and precisely with the specified cure cycle by passing low voltage current through them. Tensile tests of CFRP cables cured by resistance heating as well as those of uncured ones have also been performed and the results show that cured cables exhibit tensile strength and stiffness which are about two times higher than those of uncured ones. In preparing for tensile specimens of uncured cables, it has been found that any part of CFRP cables can be left uncured by the present method without changing curing process. At these uncured portions, they can be bent for folding and be tied to other structural members with knots without using mechanical hinges or joints.
Investigations of the wake behind a hypersonic vehicle have been made by visualizing the flow field around the hypersonic vehicle. In order to visualize the flow field, the electric discharge method is utilized. In these experiments, visualizations of a stream line, shock shapes, a temperature field, and a boundary layer around the hypersonic vehicle have been performed by the electric discharge method. These experiments are carried out by using a hypersonic shock tunnel. The characteristics of the tunnel are the Mach number is 10 and the duration is 10m·s.
An experimental and numerical investigation of a free-piston double-diaphragm shock tube is conducted. In shock tube flow sequence, shock speeds up to 12.7km/s are achieved in the low pressure tube for initial pressure 13.3Pa by using helium driver gas. The present paper is described especially on characteristics of the buffer tube. In the numerical simulation, the flow is modeled as unsteady, inviscid and compressible. The numerical method employs the Harten-Yee second order upwind TVD scheme. The influence of the primary and secondary diaphragm rupture process on flow characteristics is investigated in experiment and numerical simulation.
This paper describes the estimation of wind vectors acting on a flying airplane. The navigation display of current commercial airliners shows a wind vector calculated using an approximation that a sideslip angle is zero. This conventional method increases the estimation error as the sideslip angle increases. The sideslip angle estimation method is investigated using acceleration data from DFRD (Digital Flight Recorded Data) which indicate the aerodynamic forces. The wind vectors acting on a landing aircraft are estimated to compared with the conventional method.