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Uncertainty Quantification of CFD Data Generated for a Model Scramjet Isolator FlowfieldComputational fluid dynamics is now considered to be an indispensable tool for the design and development of scramjet engine components. Unfortunately, the quantification of uncertainties is rarely addressed with anything other than sensitivity studies, so the degree of confidence associated with the numerical results remains exclusively with the subject matter expert that generated them. This practice must be replaced with a formal uncertainty quantification process for computational fluid dynamics to play an expanded role in the system design, development, and flight certification process. Given the limitations of current hypersonic ground test facilities, this expanded role is believed to be a requirement by some in the hypersonics community if scramjet engines are to be given serious consideration as a viable propulsion system. The present effort describes a simple, relatively low cost, nonintrusive approach to uncertainty quantification that includes the basic ingredients required to handle both aleatoric (random) and epistemic (lack of knowledge) sources of uncertainty. The nonintrusive nature of the approach allows the computational fluid dynamicist to perform the uncertainty quantification with the flow solver treated as a "black box". Moreover, a large fraction of the process can be automated, allowing the uncertainty assessment to be readily adapted into the engineering design and development workflow. In the present work, the approach is applied to a model scramjet isolator problem where the desire is to validate turbulence closure models in the presence of uncertainty. In this context, the relevant uncertainty sources are determined and accounted for to allow the analyst to delineate turbulence model-form errors from other sources of uncertainty associated with the simulation of the facility flow.
Document ID
20180000520
Acquisition Source
Langley Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Baurle, R. A. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Axdahl, E. L. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Date Acquired
January 17, 2018
Publication Date
December 4, 2017
Subject Category
Aerodynamics
Report/Patent Number
NF1676L-27196
Meeting Information
Meeting: JANNAF Joint Subcommittee Meeting
Location: Newport News, VA
Country: United States
Start Date: December 4, 2017
End Date: December 8, 2017
Sponsors: Department of the Air Force, Department of the Army, NASA Headquarters, Department of the Navy
Funding Number(s)
WBS: WBS 725017.02.07.02.01
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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