Heated Plume Prediction and Application Navy STTR FY2007 Sol No.: Navy STTR FY2007 Topic No.: N07-T001 Topic Title: Heated Plume Prediction and Application Proposal No.: N074-001-0143 Firm: ThermoAnalytics, Inc. 23440 Airpark Blvd P.O. Box 66 Calumet, Michigan 49913-0066 Contact: David Less Phone: (906) 482-9560 Web Site: www.ThermoAnalytics.com Abstract: Heated plumes in a crossflow produce a thermal infrared signature and can impinge on temperature-sensitive systems downstream; both factors can degrade the performance and survivability of military assets. No validated code exists that can model heated jets from non-circular nozzles in a crossflow. Current CFD solutions are problematic due to the numerous expert modeling choices that they require. CFD issues that arise include inadequate grid resolution, imprecise boundary conditions, and deficient turbulence models. ThermoAnalytics, Metacomp Technologies, and Dr. Joseph Schetz of Virginia Tech propose an integrated program of experiment, advanced CFD modeling, and test-model validation to develop a validated, accurate, simple-to-use plume prediction tool that can model heated plumes injected into a crossflow. The proposed tool will predict the flowfield of heated plumes based on a simple set of geometry, temperature, and velocity inputs. The automated CFD tool, based on Metacomp's CFD++ and MIME codes, will automatically generate the grid and complete a CFD analysis for the flow from non-traditional shaped exits and groups of exits. A comprehensive wind tunnel testing program will validate the code's ability to predict the flowfield, infrared radiance of the plume, and the thermal effects of plume impingement on downstream surfaces. Benefits: The modeling of jets in a crossflow is critical to designers of helicopters, fixed wing aircraft, automotive vehicles, and ship engine exhaust systems since heated plumes can impinge on temperature-sensitive systems downstream. The performance of antennas, radio systems, control surfaces, and both aircraft and personnel on a flight deck or runway can be impacted by the impingement of a hot plume. A heated plume also produces an infrared signature that can diminish the survivability of military assets and successful battle operations. Specific military applications include ship and aircraft thermal and exhaust system design, thermal management systems for electronics, antenna, and other critical components on which the plume may impinge, infrared signature control, human safety analysis for personnel working within the plume flowfield, thrust vectoring for V/STOL aircraft, air jet cooling of turbine blades, and fuel injection into combustion chambers. Additional commercial applications include power plants, industrial facilities, smokestacks, and airports. The proposed tool can analyze any process that involves the injection of a heated jet into a crossflow such as the discharge of an effluent into a waterway, sewage and cooling water outfalls, industrial chimneys, film cooling, flames from petrochemical plants, the process of cooling combustion gases in gas turbine combustors, and thermal plumes rising into cross winds in the atmosphere. Besides being a critical prediction tool for vehicle and facility designers, the software will also have application in the pollution control and environmental fields. Return