Adaptive Mesh Controller for Computational Analysis

Numerical simulation of store separation from weapons bays or wing pylons is made difficult by the need to move the computational mesh and provide adequate resolution of flow structures that are changing with time. Recent advances in unstructured gridmethods have demonstrated that an adaptive grid, which is coarsened and/or refined to accommodate the motion of the store, is a viable approach for performing realistic separation scenarios. The proposed program focuses on the extension of an existingunstructured mesh adaptation code, CRISP, to include the elements necessary for computing turbulent store separation on mixed element meshes. A node movement procedure, currently operational for tetrahedral grids, will be extended to treat viscous, hybridelement meshes. Mesh quality sensor criterion will determine where and how the mesh is to be modified, using existing refinement and coarsening techniques. Solution adaptation will be demonstrated for a realistic aircraft configuration. Theseinvestigations will demonstrate the potential effectiveness of the CRISP code in performing store separation calculations using adaptive grid techniques. The resulting mesh adaptation tool-kit will be invaluable in performing assessment of weaponsdispense systems.The proposed research is directly relevant to the assessment of weapons bay and weapons dispense designs for future and current aircraft. The research supports the development of novel computational methods for simulating flowfields withmoving bodies and boundaries. Adaptive, moving grids find ready application in the simulation of heart valves, internal combustion engines, fluid/structural interactions, and other areas where the need to move the computational mesh is a major concern.