Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Flow studies in wind tunnels'

The measurement of wind tunnel flow quality for the transonic flow regime has been plagued by the inability to interpret complex unsteady flow field information obtained in the free stream. Traditionally hot wire anemometry and fluctuating pressure techniques have been used to quantify the unsteady characteristics of a wind tunnel. This research focuses on the application of these devices to the transonic flow regime. Utilizing hot wire anemometry, one can decompose the unsteady flow field with a three sensor technique, to obtain fluctuations associated with the velocity, density, and total temperature. Implementing thermodynamic and kinematic equations, new methods for expanding the measured velocity, density, and total temperature fluctuations to obtain additional fluctuations are investigated. The derived static pressure fluctuations are compared to the static pressure fluctuations obtained with a conventional fluctuating static pressure probe. The results of this comparison are good, which implies that the individual velocity, density, and total temperature components are time accurate. In the process of obtaining a high quality fluctuating flow field information, it was necessary to evaluate the calibration of the hot wire sensors. A direct calibration approach was compared to a conventional non-dimensional technique. These two calibration techniques should have resulted in the same hot wire sensitivities. There were significant differences in the hot wire sensitivities as obtained from the two approaches. The direct approach was determined to have less errors due to the added heat transfer information required of the indirect approach. Both calibration techniques demonstrated that the velocity and density sensitivities were in general not equal. This suggests that the velocity and density information cannot be combined to form a mass flow. A comparison of several hot wire techniques was included to highlight the errors obtained when assuming that these sensitivities are the same. An evaluation of the free stream flow quality associated with a Laminar Flow Control experiment was carried out in the Langley Research Center 8-Foot Transonic Pressure Tunnel (8' TPT). The facility was modified with turbulence manipulators and a liner that provided a flow field around a yawed super-critical airfoil that is conducive to transition research. These devices are evaluated to determine the sources of disturbances associated with the LFC experiment.
Ph. D.

Thesis (M.S. in Mechanical Engineering)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2006.
Thesis Advisor(s):Dr. Kevin Jones and Dr. Garth Hobson. "June 2006." Includes bibliographical references (p.79-81). Also available in print.

The aim of this study was to develop and implement a low cost, high speed, flow visualisation tool for 3-D velocity measurement throughout time dependent particle seeded fluid flow volumes. To achieve this, a new high performance wind / water tunnel was designed and constructed using CFD as a design aid. The tunnel provided the necessary platform for obtaining consistent high quality images of fluid flow. Images were grabbed using low cost CCD cameras and downloaded via a PC mounted image capture board, to system RAM. The conventional high cost laser sheet illumination method was replaced with a low cost, portable floodlight system, which enabled both 2-D and 3-D flow volumes to be illuminated. For the 3-D image capture, stereo photogrammetric techniques were employed. Advanced calibration algorithms were developed which automatically detected camera positioning. This reduced the inherent human error associated with setting-up a complex imaging system. 2-D pattern matching and particle tracking algorithms were developed, optimised and tested using real and synthetically generated flow data, to establish practical limits for particle seeding density, particle image size, flow velocity and flow complexity. These results demonstrated that particle tracking was more suited to real-time 3-D applications. The developed algorithms formed the base of a Windows 95/Windows NT package for general purpose analysis of 2-D and 3-D single exposure image streams of particle seeded fluid flow.

A wing with a Wortmann FX-63-137-ESM airfoil section has been used to study some unique problems encountered in wing aerodynamics in the range of Reynolds numbers between 50,000 and 500,000. The wind-tunnel testing conducted in the 6'x 6' Stability tunnel included strain-gauge data, pressure data, and flow-visualization studies. The laminar separation bubble which frequently occurs on the upper surface of the wing is found to dominate its performance and gives rise to a hysteresis loop for lift and drag. Changes in airfoil performance due to positive flap or control surface deflections resemble changes witnessed at higher Reynolds numbers. Negative deflections are seen to considerably change the stall behavior and the flow over the airfoil. This is due to the considerably greater effect on the separation bubble for negative flap deflections. The structure and mechanism of the laminar separation bubble can also be altered by the introduction of selected acoustic disturbance and increased free-stream turbulence. The wind-tunnel test-section environment is, therefore, capable of considerably altering wing performance in this regime.
Ph. D.
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Two instruments mounted in a piggyback arrangement were developed for time-resolved measurements of dynamic flow quality in a transonic cryogenic wind tunnel. The first one is a dual hot-wire aspirating probe for measurement of stagnation pressure and temperature. The second is a miniature high-frequency response angle probe consisting of surface mounted pressure sensors. The aspirating probe was tested in the 0.3-m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel (TCT) at NASA-Langley Research Center. Stagnation pressure and temperature measurements were taken in the free-stream of the settling chamber and test section. Data were also obtained in the unsteady wake shed from an airfoil oscillating at 5 Hz. The investigation revealed the presence of large stagnation pressure and temperature fluctuations in the settling chamber occurring at the blade passing frequency of the tunnel driving fan. The fluctuations in the test section are of a much more random nature and have amplitudes much lower than those in the test section. The overall results are consistent with previous tunnel disturbance measurements in the 0.3-m TCT. In the unsteady wake shed from the oscillating airfoil, stagnation temperature fluctuations as high as 42 K rms were observed. The high-frequency angle probe is a four sensor, pyramid type probe capable of simultaneously measuring time resolved stagnation and static pressures and two orthogonal flow angles. Using measurements from both probes, all flow parameters of interest can be deduced. Aerodynamic behavior of a full size model of the probe was established in an open air jet of known conditions.
M.S.

During strong winds, drifting snow causes problems on roads in many harsh winter climate countries. Increased snow-removal costs, reduced access and safety problems are typical results of excessive snowdrift sedimentation and bad visibility along many roads in the exposed regions.

The objective of the study is to enhance knowledge on drifting snow behaviour on roads and to develop design criteria for better road construction in mountainous areas and other areas where frequent snowfall and strong winds occur. The study is focused on road cuts, because road sections with terrain cuts are the most vulnerable both concerning visibility and snow depositing on the road. The study is mainly based on CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and field measurements. Field studies were carried out in both Norway and Iceland, and include snow surveys, wind measurements and a visibility registration. A wind tunnel study on snow drifting around a model avalanche dam is also a part of the thesis.

Wind flow in road cuts was simulated and the resulting wind speed distribution and flow pattern were compared to snow surveys. On basis of this comparison and by considering experimental relationships between wind flow and snow drifting, new design principles were proposed.

An important result of the study is the distinction between wind flow and snow drifting in gently sloping road cuts and in steep road cuts, respectively. Wind and snow drifting in gently sloping cuts and on leeward facing hillsides can usually be described as a two-dimensional flow. On the other hand, steep road cuts generally create a vortex moving parallel the road, and the resulting flow pattern must be described in three dimensions.

Results for gently sloping road cuts suggest that in order to achieve a drift free road, it must be placed downwind of the equilibrium snowdrift surface. This implies that a considerable speed up in the wind has to occur over the road embankment to facilitate snow erosion from the road surface. A statistical method to predict equilibrium snowdrift surfaces by using terrain information only is proposed. The model is based on weighing terrain slopes, and creates a streamlined surface to imitate the shape of the equilibrium snowdrift surface.

For steep cuts, a design that features an expanded cut width at both ends of the cut was tested. The design increases the speed of the transverse vortex under the cut edge, and generates less turbulence than a straight cut, which is believed to have a positive effect on the visibility. The proposed design also moves the critical low speed areas away from the road, and should therefore result in less snow accumulation on the road.

It is concluded that plain wind flow simulations are a helpful tool to learn about snow drifting on roads, and can be used to test the quality of a proposed design. The suggested design principles for road cuts are promising for full scale testing.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2005.
Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xiv, 256 p. : ill. (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 118-122).

Subsonic wind tunnel investigations were conducted on a 60° swept, flat plate, delta wing with a leading edge vortex flap. The pressure distributions were measured over a range of angles of attack starting from zero to 40° in 5° interval and flap deflection angles from zero to 45° with 5° increments at a Reynolds number of about 2.14 x 10‘ based on the root chord. The flow visualization experiments were performed from zero degree to the stall angle, with ten different flap deflection angles at the same Reynolds number. The mean flow field was measured at angles of attack l0° and 15° with the flap deflection angles of l0° and 30° at a Reynolds number of about 1.50 x 10°. The experimental results shows that the leading edge vortex flap is an effective means to control the vortex flow over a delta wing. The optimum flap deflection angles were found where the primary vortex was confined to the leading edge vortex flap, thus producing a thrust on the flap. It was found that flap deflection could be used to restore a vortex flow from burst vortex condition.
Ph. D.
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Thesis (M.S. in Engineering Science (Mechanical Engineering))--Naval Postgraduate School, December 2006.
Thesis Advisor(s): Kevin D. Jones. "December 2006." Includes bibliographical references (p. 117-118). Also available in print.

The hypersonic laminar to turbulent transition problem above Mach 10 is addressed experimentally in the short duration VKI Longshot gun tunnel. Reentry conditions are partially duplicated in terms of Mach and Reynolds numbers. Pure nitrogen is used as a test gas with flow enthalpies sufficiently low to avoid its dissociation, thus approaching a perfect gas behavior. The stabilizing effects of Mach number and nosetip bluntness on the development of natural boundary layer disturbances are evaluated over a 7 degrees half-angle conical geometry without angle of attack.

Emphasis is initially placed on the flow characterization of the Longshot wind tunnel where these experiments are performed. Free-stream static pressure diagnostics are implemented in order to complete existing stagnation point pressure and heat flux measurements on a hemispherical probe. An alternative method used to determine accurate free-stream flow conditions is then derived following a rigorous theoretical approach coupled to the VKI Mutation thermo-chemical library. Resulting sensitivities of free-stream quantities to the experimental inputs are determined and the corresponding uncertainties are quantified and discussed. The benefits of this different approach are underlined, revealing the severe weaknesses of traditional methods based on the measurement of reservoir conditions and the following assumptions of an isentropic and adiabatic flow through the nozzle. The operational map of the Longshot wind tunnel is redefined accordingly. The practical limits associated with the onset of nitrogen flow condensation under non-equilibrium conditions are also accounted for.

Boundary layer transition experiments are then performed in this environment with free-stream Mach numbers ranging between 10-12. Instrumentation along the 800mm long conical model includes flush-mounted thermocouples and fast-response pressure sensors. Transition locations on sharp cones compare favorably with engineering correlations. A strong stabilizing effect of nosetip bluntness is reported and no transition reversal regime is observed for Re_RN<120000. Wavelet analysis of wall pressure traces denote the presence of inviscid instabilities belonging to Mack's second mode. An excellent agreement with Linear Stability Theory results is obtained from which the N-factor of the Longshot wind tunnel in these conditions is inferred. A novel Schlieren technique using a short duration laser light source is developed, allowing for high-quality flow visualization of the boundary layer disturbances. Comparisons of these measurement techniques between each other are finally reported, providing a detailed view of the transition process above Mach 10.
Doctorat en Sciences de l'ingénieur
info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

The goal of this project was to develop a wind generator that utilizes the collective oscillating motion of multiple piezoelectric devices. These devices would be an alternative to rotating turbine designs for low power generation, for use in applications such as remote power generation. A series of inexpensive devices were developed that harvested energy from vortex shedding, both as independent and cooperative devices. The behavior of single devices was studied, but more interestingly, the way that multiple devices arranged together can increase power output was studied. It was shown that individual devices could harvest more energy if they were placed as specific positions relative to the vortices shed by devices upstream. Through investigating the behavior of these devices, fundamental principles of the phenomenon of vortex induced vibrations were explored. Methods were developed to measure the amplitude and frequency of these vibrations in a wind tunnel, through high speed video and correlations that were found between oscillation and power output from the piezoelectric transducers. Similarly, vortex induced vibrations were explored in an approximation of a two dimensional system in a flowing soap film.

Recently, the wavy leading edge airfoils, inspired by the humpback whale´s flipper, have been investigated, as flow control mechanisms, at low Reynolds numbers in order to improve aerodynamic performance in this particular flow regime. The overall aim of this work is to investigate the airfoil geometric effects on wavy leading edge phenomena in the low Reynolds number regime. Experimental investigations were carried out correlating force measurements with mini-tuft and oil visualizations in order to understand the airfoil thickness effects on wavy leading edge phenomena. Three sets of airfoil thickness were tested (NACA 0012, NACA 0020 and NACA 0030), each set consisting of smooth plus three wavy configurations (A=0.11c, ?=0.40c; A=0.03c, ?=0.40c and A=0.03c, ?=0.11c); Reynolds number was varied between 50,000 and 290,000. The results present many findings that were not possible in previous studies due the fact that these investigations were constrained to specific geometries and/or flow conditions. At higher Reynolds number, the decrease in airfoil thickness leads the airfoils to leading edge stall characteristics causing the lowest aerodynamic deterioration for the thinnest wavy airfoil as compared to smooth configuration in the pre-stall regime. In addition, the results show impressive tubercle performance in the lowest Reynolds number. For any tubercle geometry and airfoil thickness, the wavy leading edge airfoils present higher maximum lift values as compared to smooth configurations showing an unprecedented increase in performance for a full-span model tested in the literature. The flow visualizations present two flow mechanisms triggered by secondary flow: three-dimensional laminar separation bubbles and vortical structures. Regarding three-dimensional laminar bubbles, the results confirm some of the few previous experimental and numerical studies, and presents for the first time these structures as a very efficient flow control mechanism in the post-stall regime justifying the impressive increase in maximum lift in the lowest Reynolds number. Besides that, two characteristics of laminar bubbles, \"tipped-bubbles\" and \"elongated-bubbles\", are identified with different effects in the pre-stall regime. This thesis presents higher tubercle performance for thinner airfoils (NACA 0012) and/or lower Reynolds number conditions (Re=50,000) showing clearly that an optimum performance lead the \"tubercles\" to operate under conditions of leading edge flow separation conditions. Therefore, a design space for tubercles conducted to leading edge stall characteristics confirming the hypothesis of Stanway (2008) eight years before.
Recentemente, aerofólios com bordo de ataque ondulados, inspirados na nadadeira da baleia jubarte, tem sido investigados como mecanismo de controle de escoamento para baixo número de Reynolds com a finalidade de se aumentar o desempenho aerodinâmico neste específico regime de escoamento. O objetivo geral deste trabalho é investigar os efeitos geométricos do aerofólio nos fenômenos do bordo de ataque ondulado na condição de baixo número de Reynolds. Investigações experimentais foram realizadas correlacionando medições de forças com visualizações de lã e óleo a fim de compreender os efeitos da espessura do aerofólio sobre os fenômenos de bordo de ataque ondulado. Três conjuntos de espessura de aerofólios foram testados (NACA 0012, NACA 0020 e NACA 0030) na faixa de número de Reynolds entre 50,000 e 290,000, onde cada conjunto tem um aerofólio liso e três ondulados (A = 0.11c, ? = 0.40c; A = 0.03c, ? = 0.40c e A = 0.03c, 0.11c ? =0.11c). O dados experimentais mostram importantes resultados que não foram possíveis em estudos anteriores devido às investigações serem restritas à geometria ou/e condição de escoamento específicas. O resultados de medida de força mostram que a diminuição da espessura do aerofólio conduz às características de separação de escoamento de bordo de ataque que causam menor deterioração aerodinâmica nos aerofólios ondulados finos quando comparados aos lisos no regime de pré-stall. Além disso, os resultados mostram um desempenho destacado do bordo de ataque ondulado para condição de menor número de Reynolds. Em quaisquer espessuras de aerofólio, os bordos ondulados apresentam valores de sustentação máxima maiores quando comparado aos aerofólios lisos mostrando assim resultado inédito na literatura para modelos ondulados bi-dimensionais. As visualizações de óleo evidenciaram dois mecanismos de controle de escoamento desencadeadas pelo escoamento secundário: bolhas de separação laminar tridimensionais e estruturas vorticais. Os resultados confirmam alguns poucos estudos experimentais e numéricos anteriores relacionadas com bolhas tridimensionais, e apresenta pela primeira vez estas estruturas como um mecanismo muito eficiente de controle de escoamento em regime de pós-stall justificando o aumento de máxima sustentação para o menor número de Reynolds. Adicionalmente, foram identificadas duas estruturas de bolhas tridimensionais nomeados aqui como \"bolhas com pontas\" e \"bolhas alongadas\" que causam distintos efeitos no regime de pré-stall. Esta tese apresenta como resultado maior desempenho para aerofólios ondulados com menor espessura (NACA 0012) e/ou para condições de menor número de Reynolds (Re=50,000)mostrando claramente que estas características levam as ondulações a operarem em condições de stall de bordo de ataque assim tendo um desempenho superior. Portanto, um espaço de projeto para tubérculos conduz às características de stall de bordo de ataque confirmando a suposição de Stanway (2008) oitos anos antes.

Une étude a été entreprise à la direction de l'aérodynamique de l'onera concernant l'application en soufflerie hypersonique d'une nouvelle méthode thermographique utilisant les propriétés de la photoluminescence. Après avoir étudie la faisabilité de la technique en mesure ponctuelle, il a été décidé de développer un système cartographique basé sur l'utilisation d'une camera video 3-ccd et d'un système de traitement d'images et de vérifier son adéquation aux mesures des transferts de chaleur pariétaux dans les souffleries hypersoniques à rafales. Le système a été étalonné en laboratoire, puis évalué dans le cadre d'essais dans les installations de l'onera à Chalais-Meudon. Il apparait que la thermographie par photoluminescence (tph) fournit des résultats satisfaisants sur des maquettes en matériau isolant thermiquement. Quant aux corps d'étude en matériau conducteur, la comparaison soit avec une évaluation théorique, soit avec données acquises au moyen de capteurs ponctuels montre que l'accord est moins bon. Cette méthode, avec la configuration expérimentale choisie, ne peut concurrencer directement la thermographie infrarouge. Elle est plutôt d'une technique complémentaire applicable quand la thermographie infrarouge ne peut être mise en œuvre

Continental rifting is an important geodynamic process during which the Earth's outer-most rigid shell undergoes continuous stretching resulting in continental break-up and theformation of new oceanic basins. The East African Rift System, which has two continentalsegments comprising largely of the East African Rift (EAR) to the West and the easternmostsegment Madagascar, is the largest narrow rift on Earth. However, the driving mechanismsof continental rifting remain poorly understood due to a lack of numerical infrastructure tosimulate rifting, the lack of knowledge of the underlying mantle dynamics, and poor knowl-edge of mantle rheology. Here, we use state-of-art computational modeling of the upper660 km of the Earth to: 1) provide a better understanding of mantle flow patterns and themantle rheology beneath Madagascar, 2) to elucidate the main driving forces of observedpresent-day∼E-W opening in the EAR, and 3) to investigate the role of multiple plumesor a superplume in driving surface deformation in the EAR. In chapter 1, we simulate EdgeDriven convection (EDC), constrained by a lithospheric thickness model beneath Madagas-car. The mantle flow associated with the EDC is used to calculate induced olivine aggregates'Lattice Preferred Orientation (LPO), known as seismic anisotropy. The predicted LPO isthen used to calculate synthetic seismic anisotropy, which were compared with observationsacross the island. Through a series of comparisons, we found that asthenospheric flow result-ing from undulations in lithospheric thickness variations is the dominant source of the seismicanisotropy, but fossilized structures from an ancient shear zone may play a role in southern Madagascar. Our results suggest that the rheological conditions needed for the formationof seismic anisotropy, dislocation creep, dominates the upper asthenosphere beneath Mada-gascar and likely other continental regions. In chapter 2, we use a 3D numerical model ofthe lithosphere-asthenosphere system to simulate instantaneous lithospheric deformation inthe EAR and surroundings. We test the hypothesis that the∼E-W extension of the EAR isdriven by large scale forces arising from topography and internal density gradients, known aslithospheric buoyancy forces. We calculate surface deformation solely driven by lithosphericbuoyancy forces and compare them with surface velocity observations. The lithosphericbuoyancy forces are implemented by imposing observed topography at the model surfaceand lateral density variations in the crust and mantle down to a compensation depth of 100km. Our results indicate that the large-scale∼E-W extension across East Africa is driven bylithospheric buoyancy forces, but not along-rift surface motions in deforming zones. In chap-ter 3, we test the hypothesis that the anomalous northward rift-parallel deformation observedin the deforming zones of the EAR is driven by viscous coupling between the lithosphereand deep upwelling mantle material, known as a superplume, flowing northward. We testtwo end-member plume models including a multiple plumes model simulated using high res-olution shear wave tomography-derived thermal anomaly and a superplume model (Africansuperplume) simulated by imposing a northward mantle-wind on the multiple plumes model.Our results suggest that the horizontal tractions from northward mantle flow associated withthe African Superplume is needed to explain observations of rift-parallel surface motions indeforming zones from GNSS/GPS data and northward oriented seismic anisotropy beneaththe EAR. Overall, this work yields a better understanding of the geodynamics of Africa.
Doctor of Philosophy
Continental rifting is an important geodynamic process during which the Earth's outer-most rigid shell undergoes continuous stretching resulting in continental break-up and theformation of new oceanic basins. The East African Rift System, which has two continentalsegments comprising largely of the East African Rift (EAR) to the West and the easternmostsegment Madagascar, is the largest narrow rift on Earth. However, the driving mechanismsof continental rifting remain poorly understood due to a lack of numerical infrastructure tosimulate rifting, the lack of knowledge of the underlying mantle dynamics, and poor knowl-edge of mantle rheology. Here, we use state-of-art computational modeling of the upper660 km of the Earth to: 1) provide a better understanding of mantle flow patterns and themantle rheology beneath Madagascar, 2) to elucidate the main driving forces of observedpresent-day∼E-W opening in the EAR, and 3) to investigate the role of multiple plumesor a superplume in driving surface deformation in the EAR. In chapter 1, we simulate EdgeDriven convection (EDC), constrained by a lithospheric thickness model beneath Madagas-car. The mantle flow associated with the EDC is used to calculate induced olivine aggregates'Lattice Preferred Orientation (LPO), known as seismic anisotropy. The predicted LPO isthen used to calculate synthetic seismic anisotropy, which were compared with observationsacross the island. Through a series of comparisons, we found that asthenospheric flow result-ing from undulations in lithospheric thickness variations is the dominant source of the seismicanisotropy, but fossilized structures from an ancient shear zone may play a role in southern Madagascar. Our results suggest that the rheological conditions needed for the formationof seismic anisotropy, dislocation creep, dominates the upper asthenosphere beneath Mada-gascar and likely other continental regions. In chapter 2, we use a 3D numerical model ofthe lithosphere-asthenosphere system to simulate instantaneous lithospheric deformation inthe EAR and surroundings. We test the hypothesis that the∼E-W extension of the EAR isdriven by large scale forces arising from topography and internal density gradients, known aslithospheric buoyancy forces. We calculate surface deformation solely driven by lithosphericbuoyancy forces and compare them with surface velocity observations. The lithosphericbuoyancy forces are implemented by imposing observed topography at the model surfaceand lateral density variations in the crust and mantle down to a compensation depth of 100km. Our results indicate that the large-scale∼E-W extension across East Africa is driven bylithospheric buoyancy forces, but not along-rift surface motions in deforming zones. In chap-ter 3, we test the hypothesis that the anomalous northward rift-parallel deformation observedin the deforming zones of the EAR is driven by viscous coupling between the lithosphereand deep upwelling mantle material, known as a superplume, flowing northward. We testtwo end-member plume models including a multiple plumes model simulated using high res-olution shear wave tomography-derived thermal anomaly and a superplume model (Africansuperplume) simulated by imposing a northward mantle-wind on the multiple plumes model.Our results suggest that the horizontal tractions from northward mantle flow associated withthe African Superplume is needed to explain observations of rift-parallel surface motions indeforming zones from GNSS/GPS data and northward oriented seismic anisotropy beneaththe EAR. Overall, this work yields a better understanding of the geodynamics of Africa.

Cette these est une etude experimentale de la turbulence 3d, effectuee dans differentes configurations : turbulence de grille, turbulence de jet et turbulence de soufflerie a tres grand nombre de reynolds. Elle s'attache a caracteriser precisement l'intermittence des ecoulements turbulents, d'une part, d'un point de vue statistique, d'autre part, d'un point de vue structurel. Plusieurs lois, qui concernent en particulier l'universalite de la turbulence, en sont deduites.

Le travail présenté dans ce mémoire concerne le développement de la technique de mesure de fluorescence induite par laser (LIF) à excimères fluorure d'argon bande-fine, et son utilisation pour l'étude expérimentale de jets supersoniques de plasma au voisinage de maquettes immergées dans l'écoulement, simulant les conditions de réentrée atmosphérique d'un engin spatial. Les différents schémas de fluorescence des molécules monoxyde d'azote et monoxyde de carbone sont discutés. La température du milieu est déduite de la comparaison des spectres d'excitation expérimentaux de la bande epsilon de NO avec les spectres synthétiques obtenus à l'aide d'un code de calcul. La vitesse de l'écoulement est déterminée par mesure du décalage Doppler. Cette technique de mesure est appliquée à un jet de plasma dioxyde de carbone-azote, généré dans une soufflerie de laboratoire, simulant l'atmosphère de Mars, et à la couche limite au-dessus d'une tuile de C/SIC. De manière complémentaire, la température pariétale des échantillons est mesurée par thermographie infrarouge. L'instrumentation de deux souffleries à haute enthalpie de l'institut Tsniimash (Moscou) a permis de démontrer les potentialités offertes par l'implantation sur site industriel de la technique de mesure LIF. La première étude concerne la couche limite générée au voisinage d'un modèle SIC immergé dans un jet supersonique de plasma d'air (Mach 2,5), créé par une torche haute fréquence (100 kW), et a permis de mettre en évidence l'effet catalytique de la surface du matériau de protection thermique pour différents processus cinétiques de recombinaison atomique. Dans la soufflerie à arc TT1 (4 MW, Mach 5), les expériences sont menées dans le jet libre et au voisinage d'une plaque plane comportant une marche, pour simuler un désalignement de tuiles à la surface d'un avion spatial. L'ensemble des mesures constitue un cas test pour la validation de codes de calcul d'écoulements supersoniques.

The dynamics of the unstart process in inlet / isolator models mounted to the floor of a Mach 5 wind tunnel are investigated experimentally. The most extensively studied model has an inlet section that contains a 6-degree compression ramp and the isolator is a rectangular straight duct that is 25.4 mm high by 50.8 mm wide by 242.3 mm long. Unstart is initiated by raising a motor-driven flap that is located at the downstream end of the isolator section. Unstart proceeds with the formation of a shock system that propagates upstream at an average velocity of about 37 m/s (in the lab frame of reference), which is five percent of the freestream velocity. Unstart is seen to be associated with strong shock-induced separation that leads to reverse flow velocities up to about 300 m/s as measured by PIV. Both the schlieren imaging and PIV data suggest the dynamics and flow structure of the unstart process are dependent on inlet geometry. Furthermore, the PIV data indicate the unstart process to be highly three-dimensional. Finally, tripping the ceiling and sidewall boundary layers was seen to result in slower unstart processes. In addition, results are presented for 0-degree (no inlet) and 8-degree inlet / isolator models. In the 0-degree model, the experimental data show that the flow structure and propagation velocities of the unstart shock system are much more constant than those measured in unstart events with an inlet. In addition, an increased inlet compression angle appears to result in an increased unstart propagation velocity in the isolator. This is possibly related to the fact that with an increased compression ramp angle, the unstart shock system propagates against a lower momentum opposing flow. Furthermore, the inlet geometry is also seen to affect the flow that follows the unstart process. Experiments were also conducted with each of the three inlets attached to a shortened isolator. The short-isolator experiments showed it was possible to form a stable high-compression shock system in the isolator by raising the flap. This was not the case in longer isolator tests.
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The aerodynamic applications of plasma science is a field of growing interest. Investigations using various approaches have been initiated by several research groups that are designed to manipulate the aerodynamic boundary layer and to re-attach the flow to airfoils. EHD (ElectroHydroDynamic) flow control has proven at least as effective as other methods of boundary layer flow control. In the EHD approach, glow discharge plasma actuators are placed on the wings and fuselage of the aircraft, or on the turbine blades in the engine, to influence the boundary layer flow. This thesis is concerned with plasma actuators based on the OAUGDP ® (One Atmosphere Uniform Glow Discharge Plasma). An actuator consists of two conducting electrodes separated by a dielectric plate. When a sufficiently high RF voltage is supplied to the electrodes, the surrounding air ionizes and forms plasma in regions in which the electric field is above approximately 10 kV/cm. The ionized air, in the presence of an electric field gradient, produces a body force on the neutral gas flow.This work is concerned with two EHD effects: paraelectric flow acceleration and peristaltic flow acceleration. In the paraelectric mode, electric field gradients act on the net charge density of plasma, and the plasma drags the neutral gas along with it due to ion-neutral and electron-neutral Lorentzian collisions. In the peristaltic mode, successive actuators are energized with the same voltage, but increasing phase angles. The first part of this thesis describes experiments at the NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA in the 7 x 11 Inch Low Speed Wind Tunnel in which Pitot tube velocity profile measurements and smoke flow visualization tests were conducted.The second part of this thesis describes the development of a low cost power supply to energize OAUGDP ® plasma actuators. The power supply consists of automotive ignition coil transformers, audio amplifiers, and a DC battery. Using this power supply, plasma actuators were energized at voltages up to 8 kV, and at frequencies between 0.5 and 8 kHz. This thesis also presents illustrative paraelectric flow acceleration data obtained using the low-cost power supply.

One of the characteristics of the high speed ows over blunt bodies is the detached shock formed in front of the body. The distance of the shock from the stagnation point measured along the stagnation streamline is termed as the shock stand o distance or the shock detachment distance. It is one of the most basic parameters in such ows. The need to know the shock stand o distance arises due to the high temperatures faced in these cases. The biggest challenge faced in high enthalpy ows is the high amounts of heat transfer to the body. The position of the shock is relevant in knowing the temperatures that the body being subjected to such ows will have to face and thus building an efficient system to reduce the heat transfer. Despite being a basic parameter, there is no theoretical means to determine the shock stand o distance which is accepted universally. Deduction of this quantity depends more or less on experimental or computational means until a successful theoretical model for its predictions is developed. The experimental data available in open literature for spherical bodies in high speed ows mostly lies beyond the 2 km/s regime. Experiments were conducted to determine the shock stand o distance in the velocity range of 1-2 km/s. Three different hemispherical bodies of radii 25, 40 and 50 mm were taken as test models. Since the shock stand o distance is known to depend on the density ratio across the shock and hence gamma (ratio of specific heats), two different test gases, air and carbon dioxide were used for the experiments here. Five different test cases were studied with air as the test gas; Mach 5.56 with Reynolds number of 5.71 million/m and enthalpy of 1.08 MJ/kg, Mach 5.39 with Reynolds number of 3.04 million/m and enthalpy of 1.42 MJ/kg Mach 8.42 with Reynolds number of 1.72 million/m and enthalpy of 1.21 MJ/kg, Mach 11.8 with Reynolds number of 1.09 million/m and enthalpy of 2.03 MJ/kg and Mach 11.25 with Reynolds number of 0.90 million/m and enthalpy of 2.88 MJ/kg. For the experiments conducted with carbon dioxide as test gas, typical freestream conditions were: Mach 6.66 with Reynolds number of 1.46 million/m and enthalpy of 1.23 MJ/kg. The shock stand o distance was determined from the images that were obtained through schlieren photography, the ow visualization technique employed here. The results obtained were found to follow the same trend as the existing experimental data in the higher velocity range. The experimental data obtained was compared with two different theoretical models given by Lobb and Olivier and was found to match. Simulations were carried out in HiFUN, an in-house CFD package for Euler and laminar own conditions for Mach 8 own over 50 mm body with air as the test gas. The computational data was found to match well with the experimental and theoretical data