skip to main content

Explore Research Products in the NSF-PAR

Title: Advanced Wind Tunnel Boundary Simulation for Kevlar Wall Aeroacoustic Wind Tunnels
This study presents the first 3D two-way coupled fluid structure interaction (FSI) simulation of a hybrid anechoic wind tunnel (HAWT) test section with modeling all important effects, such as turbulence, Kevlar wall porosity and deflection, and reveals for the first time the complete 3D flow structure associated with a lifting model placed into a HAWT. The Kevlar deflections are captured using finite element analysis (FEA) with shell elements operated under a membrane condition. Three-dimensional RANS CFD simulations are used to resolve the flow field. Aerodynamic experimental results are available and are compared against the FSI results. Quantitatively, the pressure coefficients on the airfoil are in good agreement with experimental results. The lift coefficient was slightly underpredicted while the drag was overpredicted by the CFD simulations. The flow structure downstream of the airfoil showed good agreement with the experiments, particularly over the wind tunnel walls where the Kevlar windows interact with the flow field. A discrepancy between previous experimental observations and juncture flow-induced vortices at the ends of the airfoil is found to stem from the limited ability of turbulence models. The qualitative behavior of the flow, including airfoil pressures and cross-sectional flow structure is well captured in the CFD. From the structural side, the behavior of the Kevlar windows and the flow developing over them is closely related to the aerodynamic pressure field induced by the airfoil. The Kevlar displacement and the transpiration velocity across the material is dominated by flow blockage effects, generated aerodynamic lift, and the wake of the airfoil. The airfoil wake increases the Kevlar window displacement, which was previously not resolved by two-dimensional panel-method simulations. The static pressure distribution over the Kevlar windows is symmetrical about the tunnel mid-height, confirming a dominantly two-dimensional flow field.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2012443
NSF-PAR ID:
10317513
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
In Advanced Wind Tunnel Boundary Simulation II
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. ; ( , Engineering structures)
    null (Ed.)
    Cables of suspension, cable-stayed and tied-arch bridges, suspended roofs, and power transmission lines are prone to moderate to large-amplitude vibrations in wind because of their low inherent damping. Structural or fatigue failure of a cable, due to these vibrations, pose a significant threat to the safety and serviceability of these structures. Over the past few decades, many studies have investigated the mechanisms that cause different types of flow-induced vibrations in cables such as rain-wind induced vibration (RWIV), vortex-induced vibration (VIV), iced cable galloping, wake galloping, and dry-cable galloping that have resulted in an improved understanding of the cause of these vibrations. In this study, the parameters governing the turbulence-induced (buffeting) and motion-induced wind loads (self-excited) for inclined and yawed dry cables have been identified. These parameters facilitate the prediction of their response in turbulent wind and estimate the incipient condition for onset of dry-cable galloping. Wind tunnel experiments were performed to measure the parameters governing the aerodynamic and aeroelastic forces on a yawed dry cable. This study mainly focuses on the prediction of critical reduced velocity 〖(RV〗_cr) as a function of equivalent yaw angle (*) and Scruton number (Sc) through measurement of aerodynamic- damping and stiffness. Wind tunnel tests using a section model of a smooth cable were performed under uniform and smooth/gusty flow conditions in the AABL Wind and Gust Tunnel located at Iowa State University. Static model tests for equivalent yaw angles of 0º to 45º indicate that the mean drag coefficient 〖(C〗_D) and Strouhal number (St) of a yawed cable decreases with the yaw angle, while the mean lift coefficient 〖(C〗_L) remains zero in the subcritical Reynolds number (Re) regime. Dynamic one degree-of-freedom model tests in across-wind and along-wind directions resulted in the identification of buffeting indicial derivative functions and flutter derivatives of a yawed cable for a range of equivalent yaw angles. Empirical equations for mean drag coefficient, Strouhal number, buffeting indicial derivative functions and critical reduced velocity for dry-cable galloping are proposed for yawed cables. The results indicate a critical equivalent yaw angle of 45° for dry-cable galloping. A simplified design procedure is introduced to estimate the minimum damping required to arrest dry-cable galloping from occurring below the design wind speed of the cable structure. Furthermore, the results from this study can be applied to predict the wind load and response of a dry cable at a specified wind speed for a given yaw angle. 
    more » « less
  2. ; ( , Proceedings of the ASME 2022 Fluids Engineering Division Summer Meeting)
    Abstract

    An experimental study was undertaken to evaluate the power extraction of an airfoil undergoing large amplitude pitching and heaving using a trailing edge flapping motion for the application of energy harvesting for steady flow over the airfoil. The airfoil was a NACA0015 design, pitching at the 1/3 chord position, with an actively controlled trailing edge flap hinged at the 2/3 chord location (chord length of c = 150mm and aspect ratio AR = 2, however end plates were used to simulate a two-dimensional airfoil). Data were obtained over a range of wind speeds corresponding to Reynolds numbers in the 30,000–60,000 range in a low-speed wind tunnel with turbulence intensities below 2%. The results are characterized using the reduced frequency, k = fc/U∞ over the range of 0.04–0.08, where f is the oscillating frequency in Hz, and U∞ is the freestream velocity. The pitching and heaving amplitudes are θ0 = 70° and h0 = 0.6c respectively, with a phase delay of 90°. Two trailing edge motion profiles are presented, examining the relative phase of trailing edge flap to the pitching phase. For each motion, a positive and negative case are considered. This is a total of 4 trailing edge motion profiles. Trailing edge motion amplitudes of 20° and 40° are compared and results contrasted. Direct transient force measurements were used to obtain the cycle variation of induced aerodynamic loads (lift coefficient) as well as the power output and efficiency. Results are used to identify the influence of trailing edge flap oscillations on the overall performance for energy harvesting, with a maximum efficiency increase of 21.3% and corresponding cycle averaged heaving power coefficient increase of 29.9% observed as a result of trailing edge motion.

     
    more » « less
  3. ; ; ; ( , AIAA AVIATION 2023 Forum)
    The accretion of ice on the surface of a wind turbine blade causes a drastic reduction in the aerodynamic performance and as a result, the power output, in addition to posing a safety hazard. To quantify this phenomenon, an experimental study was conducted in the Iowa State University Icing Research Tunnel (ISU-IRT) to understand the dynamic ice accretion process and resultant aerodynamic performance degradation specifically experienced by offshore wind turbines at higher Liquid Water Content (LWC) levels. Four different LWC values were tested for both glaze and rime ice conditions each, to cover the possible spectrum of typical icing conditions. A high-speed imaging camera was used to capture the dynamic ice accretion process, while a Digital Image Projection (DIP) technique was used to perform the 3D qualification of the ice accretion characteristics. Two highly sensitive multi-axis force and moment transducers were used to measure the lift and drag forces acting upon the airfoil. The lift force was found to decrease, and the drag force was found to increase with the formation of ice. The amount of change in the unsteady aerodynamic forces was found to depend on the ambient temperature, the LWC, as well as the accreted ice structure. 
    more » « less
  4. ( , International journal of aeroacoustics)
    Noise produced by aerodynamic interaction between a circular cylinder (rod) and an airfoil in a tandem arrangement is investigated numerically using incompressible large eddy simulations. Quasi-periodic shedding from the rod and the resulting wake impinges on the airfoil to produce unsteady loads on the two geometries. These unsteady loads act as sources of aerodynamic sound and the sound radiates to the far-field with a dipole directivity. The airfoil is set at zero angle of attack for the simulations and the Reynolds number based on the rod diameter is Red = 48 K. Comparisons with experimental measurements are made for (a) mean and root mean square surface pressure on the rod, (b) profiles of mean and root mean square streamwise velocity in the rod wake, (c) velocity spectra in the near field, and (d) far-field pressure spectra. Curle’s acoustic analogy is used with the airfoil surface pressure data from the simulations to predict the far-field sound. An improved correction based on observed spanwise coherence is used to account for the difference in span lengths between the experiments and the simulations. Good agreement with data is observed for the near-field aerodynamics and the far-field sound predictions. The straight leading edge airfoil is then replaced with a test airfoil with a serrated leading edge geometry while maintaining the mean chord. This new configuration is also analyzed numerically and found to give a substantial reduction in the far-field noise spectra in the mid- to high-frequency range. Source diagnostics show that the serrations reduce unsteady loading on the airfoil, reduce coherence along the span, and increase spanwise phase variation, all of which contribute to noise reduction. 
    more » « less
  5. ; ; ( , Boundary-Layer Meteorology)
    Flow separation caused by steep topography remains a significant obstacle in accurately predicting turbulent boundary-layer flows over complex terrain, despite the utilization of sophisticated numerical models. The addition of atmospheric thermal stability, in conjunction with steep topography, further complicates the determination of disrupted turbulent wind patterns. The turbulent separated flows over a two-dimensional (2D) steep hill under thermal stratification has not been extensively addressed in previous experimental studies. Such measurements are crucial for enhancing our comprehension of flow physics and validating numerical models. We measured the turbulent wind flows over a 2D steep hill immersed in a stable boundary layer (of the bulk Richardson Number = 0.256) in a thermally-stratified boundary-layer wind tunnel. The flow separation, re-circulation zone and flow reattachment were characterized by the planar particle image velocimetry technique. Vertical profiles of mean air temperature and its fluctuations are also quantified at representative locations above the 2D steep hill and in the near wake region. Results indicate that the separated shear layer, initiated near the crest of the 2D steep hill, dominates the physical process leading to high turbulence levels and the turbulent kinetic energy production in the wake region for both stable and neutral thermal stability. Although the stable boundary layer does not dramatically change the turbulent flow pattern around the hill, the mean separation bubble is elongated by 13%, and its vertical extent is decreased by approximately 20%. Furthermore, the reduced turbulence intensities and turbulent kinetic energy of the near wake flow are attributed to the relatively low turbulence intensity and low momentum of the stable boundary layer due to buoyancy damping, compared to the neutral boundary layer. Additionally, a distinct low-temperature region—a cold pool—is extended beyond the separation bubble, reflecting the significant sheltering effect of the 2D steep hill on the downwind flow and temperature field. 
    more » « less
  • Citation Formats
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago
  • BibTeX
  • Save / Share this Record
  • Send to Email