Performance evaluation of a seawater exchange breakwater with Helmholtz resonator using OpenFOAM

In this paper, a two-dimensional Numerical Wave Tank (NWT) is proposed to calculate the static pressure variation along the lower wall of an experimental wave-flume. The experimental setup was a 4.72m long wave flume with a flap-type wave-maker. The experiments were carried out at various water heights of 100mm, 80mm, and 60mm, with a motor speed of 60 rpm. The numerical simulations were completed using ANSYS™ Fluent, with two sets solutions: 1) the unsteady, three-dimensional Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) equations coupled with a k-e turbulence model; 2) unsteady 3-D Euler equations. In both computations, the volume of fluid (VOF) method was used to capture the free surface and a grid independence study was completed. The unsteady Euler simulations showed the best agreement to the experimental results. Several cases were run to complete validation and verification of the numerical model, and the CFD results are in good agreement with the experiment. Thus, for small two-dimensional experimental wave flumes, the unsteady inviscid, volume of fluid method can accurately predict surface pressure distribution.

The effect of flow on the acoustic length correction factor (ALCF) of a Helmholtz resonator (HR) neck is investigated numerically in order to achieve an expression to calculate the respective flow-acoustic length correction factor (FALCF) as a function dependent on the ratio between the radii of the neck and cavity (up to 0.4) and on the Mach (Ma) number (up to 0.1). The ALCF is of great interest in one-dimensional acoustic applications for achieving better prediction of local effects. In this work, the effects of turbulent flow and radial and axial neck-cavity wave motions are added to improve the one-dimensional HR's resonant frequency prediction model. A symmetric three-dimensional HR model is parameterized and adopted to solve a set of CFD problems (RANS equation and turbulent SST model), with different geometry parameters. The acoustic fluid is air at 20 °C and is considered incompressible. The predictions of the numerical model are validated with experimental studies available in the literature. Different formulations employed to predict the resonance frequency of an HR for the Ma = 0 case are investigated and compared to CFD results as a way to verify its prediction capability related with the HR's geometry. Also, the possibility to obtain the FALCF factor from the neck's acoustic impedance is investigated and compared with the expression derived from the HR's resonance frequency.

The primary atomization of a turbulent liquid jet in crossflow was investigated using a mathematical, numerical and computational model. A comparison between the standard volume of fluid (VOF) method and the fine grid volume tracking (FGVT) method was reported. The FGVT method advects the interface between two fluids using a finer grid than the employed by the standard VOF method, and according to the literature, it provides a better interface resolution. Simulations were performed using adaptive mesh refinement in a three-dimensional domain subjected to gravitational field using the in-house code MFSim. The flow was modeled using an Eulerian–Lagrangian approach to capture the interface. The interface was tracked initially with VOF or FGVT methods until the initial breakup. Broken off, small-scale nearly spherical drops were transferred into the Lagrangian point particle description. Column breakup and shear breakup modes were observed on the liquid jet. Drops were small as one-hundredth the size of the injector diameter. The model was validated against experimental correlations for the liquid jet column trajectory, and the droplet size distribution was compared to a previous numerical study from the literature. In addition, the breakup mechanisms predicted were qualitatively compared to those in previous reports. The results of the liquid column trajectory from the simulations performed presented low differences with the literature for both methods tested. According to the numerical results obtained from the computational simulations, the liquid column trajectory was well captured and the droplet size distribution was similar to the literature; however, the FGVT method provided higher accuracy compared to VOF method. The two main breakup modes were identified, namely the column breakup with Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities and the surface breakup with the formation of multiple ligaments which later lead to droplet formation. The FGVT method provided a more detailed interface contour and improved the number of droplets converted from the Eulerian to the Lagrangian approach compared to the standard VOF method. On the other hand, the FGVT method presented relatively higher computational costs compared to VOF. Therefore, the FGVT method presented a higher interface quality and allowed a larger number of droplet conversion to the Lagrangian approach compared to the VOF method, even though the simulation run time using VOF was lower than with FGVT.

Introduction Weirs are one of the most common hydraulic structures and are used to regulate the upstream approach flow depth, measure the flow discharge, and evacuate the excess flow discharge in dams, irrigation and drainage networks. Based on the ratio of the total head of the upstream approach flow to the length of the weir, weirs of finite crest length are categorized into four main groups, namely sharp-crested, short-crested, broad-crested, and long-crested type weirs. The thickness of the crest results in different velocity and pressure profiles over the weir crest and consequently tends to various flow behaviors. The short-crested weirs are categorized as three different types, including ogee, circular-crested, and hydrofoil weirs. The hydrofoil weirs are a type of short-crested weirs that are designed on the basis of airfoil theory. This kind of weirs has some merits compared to the other types, such as high discharge coefficient, stability and submergence limit, and low fluctuations of pressure and water free-surface profile. Despite the extensive studies have been carried out on the hydraulic characteristics of the ogee and circular-crested weirs, there is a lack of comprehensive studies on the hydrofoil weirs, and therefore the flow characteristics over the hydrofoil weirs are still unknown. Methodology A hydrofoil weir is designed, on the basis of the Joukowsky transformation function to the equation of a reference circle on the source coordinate plane. The weir pattern generated on the destination coordinate plane is a function of the radius and the coordinate of the center of the circle on the source coordinate plane. If the center of a circle in the source coordinate plane is offset just on the horizontal axis, the Joukowsky transformation yields a symmetric hydrofoil. In this situation, if the center of a circle in the source coordinate plane is offset as large as the radius of the reference circle, the Joukowsky transformation yields a circular-crested weir. On the other hand, if the center of the circle in the source coordinate plane is offset on both the horizontal- and vertical axis, the Joukowsky transformation yields an asymmetric hydrofoil. So far, only three published studies have investigated the flow characteristics over symmetrical hydrofoil weirs. In symmetric hydrofoil weirs, the height of the weir is small, therefore these weirs have received less attention by the researchers till now. Whereas, by applying the asymmetric hydrofoil weirs instead of the symmetric ones, the weir height increases to be used for practical purposes. The present research subjects to study the flow behavior over the asymmetric hydrofoil weirs using experimental and numerical models. An experimental and numerical investigation was conducted, applying three and five models of the asymmetric hydrofoil weirs, respectively, designed on the basis of the Joukowsky transform function. Numerical simulations were performed using open source, OpenFoam v.4.0.1, CFD software. The interFoam solver and the VOF (volume of fluid) method is used to achieve the water free surface profiles and the other hydrodynamic characteristics of the flow field. The PIMPLE (pressure implicit method for pressure linked equations) algorithm was applied to couple the pressure and velocity equations in two-phase flows. In the present study, structured meshes with hexahedral elements were created by the blockMesh utility of OpenFOAM software. To generate a finer grid mesh close to the weir body and along the water free surface, snappyHexMesh utility was applied. To validate the numerical results, former experimental results and the present experimental data of different hydrofoil weirs were applied. Based on the recommendations of former studies, the k-ω SST turbulence model was used for the determination of flow characteristics over the hydrofoil weirs. Results and discussion The results of the numerical simulations including different geometrical characteristics, showed that the asymmetric hydrofoil weirs decrease the possibility of cavitation and the range of positive pressure downstream of the weir compared to those of circular-crested weirs, without decreasing the weir height. Also, in the asymmetric hydrofoil weirs, the results demonstrated that the greatest bed shear stresses and the compressive forces occur at the downstream end of the hydrofoil weir with a more camber, therefore, the downstream zone of these weirs is responsible for large values of bed erosion. Furthermore, the possibility of the downstream bed erosion is the same for the circular-crested weirs and the asymmetric hydrofoil weirs, having equal height. Conclusion Finally, by applying asymmetric hydrofoil weirs instead of circular-crested weirs, unfavorable flow conditions would be removed, leading to a more safe and economic hydraulic structures, without decreasing the weir structural height. Keywords: Bed shear stress, Joukowsky transform function, OpenFoam software, Pressure distribution, Velocity profile.

A study of wave-driven flow characteristics across a reef under the effect of tidal current

Air injection in vertical water column: Experimental test and numerical simulation using volume of fluid and two-fluid methods

For the deterministic analysis of extreme structure behavior, the hydrodynamics of the exciting wave field, i. e. pressure and velocity fields, must be known. Whereas responses of structures, e. g. motions, can easily be obtained by model tests, the detailed characteristics of the exciting waves are often difficult to determine by measurements. Therefore, numerical wave tanks (NWT) promise to be a handy tool for providing detailed insight into wave hydrodynamics. In this paper different approaches for numerical wave tanks are introduced and used for the simulation of rogue wave sequences. The numerical wave tanks presented are characterized by the following key features: a) Potential theory with Finite Element discretization (Pot/FE); b) Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes Equations (RANSE) using the Volume of Fluid (VOF) method for describing the free surface. For the NWT using the VOF method three different commercial RANSE codes (CFX, FLUENT, COMET) are applied to calculate wave propagation, whereas simulations based on potential theory are carried out with a wave simulation code developed at Technical University Berlin (WAVETUB). It is shown that the potential theory method allows a fast and accurate simulation of the propagation of nonbreaking waves. In contrast, the RANSE/VOF method allows the calculation of breaking waves but is much more time-consuming, and effects of numerical diffusion can not be neglected. To benefit from the advantages of both solvers, i. e. the calculation speed (Pot/FE-solver WAVETUB) and the capability of simulating breaking waves (RANSE/VOF-solver), the coupling of both simulation methods is introduced. Two different methods of coupling are presented: a) at a given position in the wave tank; b) at a given time step. WAVETUB is used to simulate the propagation of the wave train from the start towards the coupling position (case A) or until wave breaking is encountered (case B). Subsequently, the velocity field and the contour of the free surface is handed over as boundary (case A) or initial values (case B) to the RANSE/VOF-solver and the simulation process is continued. To validate these approaches, different types of model seas for investigating wave/structure interactions are generated in a physical wave tank and compared to the numerical simulations.

Sediments in the seabed hold vital clues to the study of marine geology, microbial communities and history of ocean life, and the remote operated vehicle (ROV) mounted tubular sampling is an important way to obtain sediments. However, sampling in the seabed is a particularly difficult and complicated task due to the difficulty accessing deep water layers. The sampling is affected by the sampler’s structural parameters, operation parameters and the interaction between the sampling tube and sediments, which usually results in low volume and coring rate of sediments obtained. This paper simulated the soft viscous seabed sediments as non-Newtonian Herschel-Bulkley viscoplastic fluids and established a numerical model for the tubular sampling based on the volume of fluid (VOF) method. The influence rules of the sampling tube diameter, drainage area rate, penetration velocity, and sediments dynamic viscosity on coring rate and volume were studied. The results showed that coring volume was negatively correlated with all the parameters except the sampling tube diameter. Furthermore, coring rate decreased with increases in penetration velocity, drainage area rate, and sediments dynamic viscosity. The coring rate first increased and then decreased with increasing of the sampling tube diameter, and the peak value was also influenced by penetration velocity. Then, based on the numerical simulation results, an experimental sampling platform was set up and real-world sampling experiments were conducted. The simulation results tallied with the experimental results, with a maximum absolute error of only 4.6%, which verified that the numerical simulation model accurately reflected real-world sampling. The findings in this paper can provide a theoretical basis for facilitating the optimal design of the geometric structure of the seabed sediments samplers and the parameters in the sampling process.

Broadband low-frequency sound transmission loss improvement of double walls with Helmholtz resonators

Coastal plants can significantly dissipate water wave energy and services as a part of shoreline protection. Using plants as a natural buffer from wave impacts remains an attractive possibility. In this paper, we present a numerical investigation on the effects of the emerged vegetation on non-breaking, breaking and broken wave propagation through vegetation over flat and sloping beds using the Reynolds-average Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations coupled with a volume of fluid (VOF) surface capturing method. The multiphase two-equation k-ω SST turbulence model is adopted to simulate wave breaking and takes into account the effects enhanced by vegetation. The numerical model is validated with existing data from several laboratory experiments. The sensitivities of wave height evolution due to wave conditions and vegetation characteristics with variable bathymetry have been investigated. The results show good agreement with measured data. For non-breaking waves, the wave reflection due to the vegetation can increase wave height in front of the vegetation. For breaking waves, it is shown that the wave breaking behavior can be different when the vegetation is in the surf zone. The wave breaking point is slightly earlier and the wave height at the breaking point is smaller with the vegetation. For broken waves, the vegetation has little effect on the wave height before the breaking point. Meanwhile, the inertia force is important within denser vegetation and is intended to decrease the wave damping of the vegetation. Overall, the present model has good performance in simulating non-breaking, breaking and broken wave interaction with the emerged vegetation and can achieve a better understanding of wave propagation over the emerged vegetation.

A gas-liquid two phase flow is complicated and it has not been understood well thus far, in spite of extensive investigation. Numerical simulation is a potential approach to understand this phenomenon. Although a number of studies have been conducted to understand the behavior of bubbles on the basis of computational fluid dynamics (CFD), it is difficult to completely simulate a complicated three-phase flow, including coalescence and breakup of bubbles. Although the two-fluid model based on the semi-empirical model can well estimate the actual behavior of the system in which the equations are derived, the estimation over the applicable region of equations does not always agree with the actual result. Since the 1960s, various procedures have been proposed to directly track the free surface between two phases, for example, the adaptive mesh method and the particle method. Although each of these methods has certain advantages and disadvantages, the volume of fluid (VOF) method is the most acceptable method for capturing the free surface accurately and clearly. However, a concern related to this method is the maintenance of a constant volume of the fluid. In this study, a simulation code using the VOF method is developed in order to estimate the behavior of bubbles in a vertical pipe. Further, an offset of the volume fraction is introduced to stably calculate and minimize the volume fluctuation. The effect of the surface tension is also built into the program in order to estimate the behavior of the bubbles rising through the liquid medium. The simulations of the collapsed water column and a single rising bubble are conducted with the proposed simulation code. Consequently, we confirm that these results fairly agree with the experimental ones.

Issues such as the design or reauditing of dams due to the occurrence of extreme events caused by climatic change are mandatory to address to ensure the safety of territories. These topics may be tackled numerically with Computational Fluid Dynamics and experimentally with physical models. This paper describes the 1:60 Froude-scaled numerical model of the Liscione (Guardialfiera, Molise, Italy) dam spillway and the downstream stilling basin. The k-ω SST turbulence model was chosen to close the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations (RANS) implemented in the commercial software Ansys Fluent ®. The computation domain was discretized using a grid with hexagonal meshes. Experimental data for model validation were gathered from the 1:60 scale physical model of the Liscione dam spillways and the downstream riverbed of the Biferno river built at the Laboratory of Hydraulic and Maritime Constructions of the Sapienza University of Rome. The model was scaled according to the Froude number and fully developed turbulent flow conditions were reproduced at the model scale (Re > 10,000). From the analysis of the results of both the physical and the numerical models, it is clear that the stilling basin is undersized and therefore insufficient to manage the energy content of the fluid output to the river, with a significant impact on the erodible downstream river bottom in terms of scour depths. Furthermore, the numerical model showed that a less vigorous jet-like flow is obtained by removing one of the sills the dam is supplied with.

By means of ANSYS Classic and ANSYS CFX external coupling, a numerical model for free surface dynamics of electrically conductive fluid in an alternate electromagnetic field is developed. Volume of Fluid (VOF) numerical technique and k–ω SST turbulence model are applied for the high Reynolds number two-phase flow calculation. The model is extended on 3D and adjusted for the case of electromagnetic levitation. Results for the steady-state free surface shapes obtained with transient calculations are compared with other models and experimental measurements in induction furnaces, induction furnace with cold crucible, and electromagnetic levitation melting device. Numerical calculation results of free surface dynamics are compared with analytic estimation of free surface oscillation period. Parameter studies by means of developed approach and comparison between 3D simulations of free surface dynamics of electromagnetically induced flow with k–ω SST and large eddy simulation (LES) turbulence models are discussed in the second part of the article to follow.

A new numerical wave flume combining the 0–1 type BEM and the VOF method

Numerical simulations of two-phase flow in proton exchange membrane fuel cells using the volume of fluid method – A review