ASME Paper Research Articles

The Effect of Film Development on Primary Breakup in a Prefilming Airblast Atomizer

Abstract Liquid fueled gas turbines are likely to remain a dominant force in aviation propulsion for the foreseeable future, and therefore understanding the atomization process is key to meeting future emissions and performance legislation. To make experiments and simulations possible, simplified geometry and boundary conditions are often used, for example, simulations of primary atomization often use a fixed film height and velocity. This paper aims to quantify the effect of a fully developed unsteady film on the atomization process. A custom Coupled Level Set & Volume of Fluid (CLSVOF) solver with adaptive meshing built in OpenFOAM v9 is used. A simulation of the atomization process in the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology atomization experiment (Warncke et al., 2017, “Experimental and Numerical Investigation of the Primary Breakup of an Airblasted Liquid Sheet,” Int. J. Multiphase Flow, 91, pp. 208–224) is presented. A precursor simulation of the film development is used to provide accurate, temporally and spatially resolved inlet boundary conditions. These results are compared to previous CLSVOF simulations from Wetherell et al. (2020, “Coupled Level Set Volume of Fluid Simulations of Prefilming Airblast Atomization With Adaptive Meshing,” ASME Paper No. GT2020-14213)” using traditional boundary conditions. The unsteady film has doubled the modal ligament length and widened the distribution, and is now in better agreement with experimental measurements. A clear correlation in both time and space is observed between the film, atomization process, and spray. The sauter mean diameter (SMD) is significantly increased, again giving better agreement with the experiment. A discussion of extracting statistical descriptions of the spray is given, outlining the unfeasible computational cost required to converge droplet diameter distributions and other high order statistics for a case such as this.

Sound Pressure Slopes of Turbulent and Cavitating Liquids, and a Method to Predict Such Levels

Abstract This paper presents an author-created, unique method called the ABC method to predict sound pressure of turbulent and cavitating liquids according to ISA Standard 75.17 and is measured 1 m from the outer wall of a downstream pipe, attached to the outlet of a valve [Baumann, 2023, “Method to Establish Sound and Acceleration Levels of High Pressure Reducing Valves,” ASME Open J. Eng. 2, p. 001000-1]. The purpose of this paper is to explain how such sound pressure levels are estimated. It is accomplished by adding the results of equations in sub-sectors A, B, and C, all in dBA. This gives the sound pressure of a given valve handling water and installed in a Schedule 40 steel pipe. Additional modifiers are shown to modify the ABC method results for other pipes or fluids. The method is open and entirely based on known fluid-mechanic and acoustic laws such as Newton’s and Lighthill’s. It is claimed that such methods will give prediction results superior to those expected using the current International Electrical Commission (IEC) Standard 60534-8-4 [Baumann, 1970, “On the Prediction of Aerodynamically Created Sound Pressure Levels of Control Valves,” ASME Paper WA/FE—28, Presented at the Annual ASME Winter Meeting, November]. A table is shown presenting test data which are compared to ABC method calculated values. Additional graphical information supporting such great prediction accuracy is also shown.

Rigid Mode Vibration Control for 250 HP Air Compressor System With Integrated Hybrid Air-Foil Magnetic Thrust Bearing (i-HFMTB)

Abstract This study aims to verify the effectiveness of the 250 HP class compressor system to which the integrated hybrid air-foil magnetic thrust bearing (i-HFMTB) proposed in (Ha et al., 2023, “Integrated Hybrid Air Foil-Magnetic Thrust Bearing (i-HFMTB) Part I: Preliminary Experimental Test for Rotordynamic Parameter Identification and Behavior With PD Control,” ASME Paper No. GT2023-102860) [1] is applied, and the vibration and instability problems of air-foil journal bearing (AFJB) occurring in the rigid mode are controlled by i-HFMTB. The compressor rotor is supported by two AFJB (journal diameter = 60 mm) and an i-HFMTB, and the length and mass of the rotor are 550 mm and 15.24 kg, respectively. i-HFMTB has a structure in which air-foil thrust bearing (AFTB) pads are inserted into eight slotted active magnetic thrust bearings (AMTB), and PD control (proportional gain: 4000; differential gain: 10) is applied. The operating area was identified through AFJB’s dynamic coefficients and rotordynamic analysis. As a result, in the experiment with the 250 HP compressor system supported only by two AFJB, sub- and super-synchronous vibrations were generated owing to the AFJB’s insufficient load capacity and damping in the rigid mode (7000 rpm) region, and this instability did not disappear even upon increasing the speed to 15,000 rpm. However, when i-HFMTB was turned on in rigid mode, it was confirmed that the sub- and super-synchronous vibrations were significantly reduced. The thrust collar tilt angle was calculated through orbit trajectory analysis of the impeller and cooling side, and it was confirmed that the tilt angle of the thrust collar was reduced during i-HFMTB operation.

Impact of Aspect Ratio on Drag and Flow Structure for Cylinders With Two Free Ends

Abstract When examining the literature for flow effects on circular cylinders one can find many studies on infinite cylinders and cantilevered cylinders but minimal data related to cylinders with two free ends (Shepard, T., Law, D., Dahl, J., Reichstadt, R., and Selvamani, A. S., 2022, “Impact of Aspect Ratio on Drag and Flow Structure for Cylinders With Two Free Ends,” ASME Paper No. V001T03A031.). The limited data available shows that the cylinder aspect ratio affects the drag and frequency content of flow within the wake however these studies were done at discreet Reynolds numbers. In order to better understand the combined impact of aspect ratio and Reynolds number a series of wind tunnel tests and numerical simulations has been conducted for cylinders with two free ends having aspect ratios of 2–15. Tests were carried out in the subcritical regime with Reynolds numbers ranging 13000–105,000. Tip vortex effects, which vary with aspect ratio, are shown to impact the cylinder surface pressure, drag coefficient, and wake Strouhal numbers though Reynolds number effects are minor for the conditions studied. The results are compared against existing historical data and show the trend of drag coefficient increasing with cylinder aspect ratio (Shepard, T., Law, D., Dahl, J., Reichstadt, R., and Selvamani, A. S., 2022, “Impact of Aspect Ratio on Drag and Flow Structure for Cylinders With Two Free Ends,” ASME Paper No. V001T03A031).

Corrigendum: Numerical Study on Discharging Characteristics of Entangled Cluster of Particles in Particle Bed

Addition of AcknowledgmentWe acknowledge the conference ICONE-2020 and ASME for “use all or any part of the following ASME paper “Numerical Study on Discharging Characteristics of Pebble Cluster Flow in Pebble Bed” for inclusion in a publication entitled “Numerical Study on Discharging Characteristics of Entangled Cluster of Particles in Particle Bed” to be published by Frontiers in Energy Research”.

Simulation of a Simplified Aeroengine Bearing Chamber Using a Fully Coupled Two-Way Eulerian Thin Film/Discrete Phase Approach Part I: Film Behavior Near the Bearing

Abstract Previous work at the Gas Turbine and Transmissions Research Center (G2TRC) has highlighted the need for an adequate computational model, which can appropriately model the oil shedding behavior from bearings. Oil can break up forming droplets and ligaments, subsequently forming thin and thick films driven by both gravity and shear. Our previously published work using openfoam successfully coupled the Eulerian thin film model (ETFM) with the discrete phase model (DPM) (Nicoli et al., 2019, “A New OpenFOAM Solver Capable of Modelling Oil Jet-Breakup and Subsequent Film Formation for Bearing Chamber Applications,” ASME Paper No. GT2019-90264.). In this paper, the previously developed ETFM-DPM capability is, for the first time, extended to an aeroengine representative bearing chamber configuration. The configuration matches that of a simplified aeroengine bearing chamber that has been investigated by researchers at the Gas Turbine and Transmissions Research Center (G2TRC). Numerical investigations are conducted for three different shaft speeds, namely, 5000, 7000, and 12,000 rpm, at two different oil flow rates: 7.3 liters/minute and 5.2 liters/minute. CFD results are validated against existing experimental data for the two lower shaft speeds. Evaluation of computed mean film thickness shows excellent agreement with the experimental data. Results show that there is a diminishing reduction of film thickness with an increasing shaft speed. The computational study allows investigation of oil residence time in the annulus near the bearing. Residence time is seen to reduce with increasing shaft speed and with increasing oil flow rate. This CFD investigation represents the first successful fully coupled two-way ETFM-DPM investigation into the droplet generation process within a bearing chamber application, establishing a firm foundation for future aeroengine bearing chamber modeling.

Experimental Investigations on the Pressure Fluctuations in the Sealing Gap of Dry Gas Seals With Embedded Pressure Sensors

Abstract Dry gas–lubricated noncontacting mechanical seals (DGSs), most commonly found in centrifugal compressors, prevent the process of gas flow into the atmosphere. Especially when high speed is combined with high pressure, DGS is the preferred choice over other sealing alternatives. Even though the noncontacting seal is proved reliable, the ultrathin gas film can still lead to a host of potential problems due to possible contact. In order to investigate the flow field in the sealing gap and to facilitate the numerical prediction of the seal performance, a dedicated test facility is developed to carry out the measurement of key parameters in the gas film. Gas in the sealing film varies according to the seal inlet pressure, and the thickness of gas film depends on this fluctuated pressure. In this paper, the test facility, measurement methods, and the first results of static pressure measurements in the sealing gap of the DGS obtained in the described test facility are presented. An industry DGS with three-dimensional grooves on the surface of the rotating ring, where experimental investigations take place, is used. The static pressure in the gas film is measured, up to 20 bar and 8100 rpm, by several high-frequency ultraminiature pressure transducers embedded into the stationary ring. The experimental results are discussed and compared with the numerical model programed in matlab (Luo, J., Dohmen, H. J., and Benra, F. K., 2018, “Coupled Thermal-Structural-Fluid Numerical Analysis of Gas Lubricated Mechanical Seals,” ASME Paper No. GT2018-75458), the characteristic and magnitude of which have a good agreement with the numerical simulations. It suggests the feasibility of measuring pressure profiles of the standard industry DGS under pressurized dynamic operating conditions without altering the key components of the seal, and thereby affecting the seal performance.

Application of Short and Long (Enhanced Vlasov's) Solutions for Cylindrical Shell on Example of Concentrated Radial Force

Abstract Analytical approaches for cylindrical shell are mostly based on expansion of all variables in Fourier series in circumferential direction. This leads to eighth-order differential equation with respect to axial coordinate. Here it is approximately treated as a sum of two fourth-order biquadratic equations. First one assumes that all variables change more quickly in circumferential direction than in axial one (long solution), while the second (short) one is based on opposite assumption. The accuracy and applicability of this approach were demonstrated (Orynyak, I., and Oryniak, A., 2018, “Efficient Solution for Cylindrical Shell Based on Short and Long (Enhanced Vlasov's) Solutions on Example of Concentrated Radial Force,” ASME Paper No. PVP2018-85032) on example of action of one or two concentrated radial forces and compared with finite element method results. This paper is an improvement of our previous work (Orynyak, I., and Oryniak, A., 2018, “Efficient Solution for Cylindrical Shell Based on Short and Long (Enhanced Vlasov's) Solutions on Example of Concentrated Radial Force,” ASME Paper No. PVP2018-85032). Two amendments are made. The first is insignificant one and use slightly modified expressions for bending strains, while the second one relates to the short solution. Here we do not consider any more that circumferential displacement is negligible as compared with radial one. Eventually this improves the accuracy of results, as compared with previous work. For example, for cylinder with radius, R, to wall thickness, h, ratio equal to 20, the maximal inaccuracy for radial displacement in point of force application decreases from 5% to 3%. For thinner cylinder with R/h = 100, this inaccuracy decreases from 2.5% to 1.25%. These inaccuracies are related to larger terms in Fourier expansion, the significance of which decrease when length or area of outer loading becomes greater. The last conclusion is demonstrated for the case of distributed concentrated force acting along short segment on axial line.

Large Eddy Simulation of Bypass Transition in Vane Passage With Freestream Turbulence

Abstract High Reynolds flow over a nozzle guide-vane with elevated inflow turbulence was simulated using wall-resolved large eddy simulation (LES). The simulations were undertaken at an exit Reynolds number of 0.5 × 106 and inflow turbulence levels of 0.7% and 7.9% and for uniform heat-flux boundary conditions corresponding to the measurements of Varty and Ames (2016, “Experimental Heat Transfer Distributions Over an Aft Loaded Vane With a Large Leading Edge at Very High Turbulence Levels,” ASME Paper No. IMECE2016-67029). The predicted heat transfer distribution over the vane is in excellent agreement with measurements. At higher freestream turbulence, the simulations accurately capture the laminar heat transfer augmentation on the pressure surface and the transition to turbulence on the suction surface. The bypass transition on the suction surface is preceded by boundary layer streaks formed under the external forcing of freestream disturbances which breakdown to turbulence through inner-mode secondary instabilities. Underneath the locally formed turbulent spot, heat transfer coefficient spikes and generally follows the same pattern as the turbulent spot. The details of the flow and temperature fields on the suction side are characterized, and first- and second-order statistics are documented. The turbulent Prandtl number in the boundary layer is generally in the range of 0.7–1, but decays rapidly near the wall.

Computational Fluid Dynamics Study of Oil Behavior in a Scoop, and Factors Affecting Scoop Capture Efficiency

Abstract Due to the continuous reduction of engine sizes, efficient under-race lubrication becomes ever more crucial in order to provide sufficient amount of oil to various engine components. An oil scoop is a rotating component that captures oil from a jet, and axially redirects it to the bearing, providing under-race lubrication. Given the importance of lubrication in high-speed engine components, the efficiency study of under-race lubrication appliances receives rapidly growing demands from manufacturers and therefore is of great interest. This work provides description of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods that were found to be most accurate and efficient for a large parameter analysis of the scoop capture efficiencies. One of the main purposes of this paper is to demonstrate an optimal and validated computational approach to modeling under-race lubrication with a focus on oil capture efficiency. Second, to show which factors most influence the scoop capture efficiency. Additionally, simulations allow for the fluid behavior inside the scoop to be observed that cannot be visualized experimentally due to high speeds. An improved method of efficiency calculation is also presented and compared to existing methods (Cageao, P. P., Simmons, K., Prabhakar, A., and Chandra, B., 2019, “Assessment of the Oil Scoop Capture Efficiency in High Speed Rotors,” ASME J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power, 141(1), p. 012401; Korsukova, E., Kruisbrink, A., Morvan, H., Paleo Cageao, P., and Simmons, K., 2016, “Oil Scoop Simulation and Analysis Using CFD and SPH,” ASME Paper No. GT2016-57554.). Results of both two-dimensional (2D) and semi-three-dimensional (3D) simulations are provided. Both qualitative comparison of 2D with semi-3D simulations and quantitative comparison of 2D simulations with experiments (Cageao, P. P., Simmons, K., Prabhakar, A., and Chandra, B., 2019, “Assessment of the Oil Scoop Capture Efficiency in High Speed Rotors,” ASME J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power, 141(1), p. 012401) show consistency. Parameter study using 2D simulations is shown with variation of rotational scoop speed, jet angles, velocity ratio. Key results show that changes of the jet angle and velocity ratio can improve the scoop efficiency.

Experimental Rotordynamic Force Coefficients for a Diffusion Bonded Compliant Hybrid Journal Gas Bearing Utilizing Fluid-Filled Hermetic Dampers

Abstract Dynamic force coefficients are presented from experimental results of a radial gas bearing with hermetically sealed squeeze film dampers (HSFDs) in the bearing support. HSFDs are a relatively new technology aimed to increase damping levels in gas bearings while sustaining an oil-free bearing sump. Past HSFD designs proved bulky and contained many components making it difficult to employ in size-limited environments such as jet engines, while the diffusion bonded bearing discussed in this paper provides a compact integral design. Details of the design are found in a companion paper by Ertas (Ertas, B. H., 2019, “Compliant Hybrid Gas Bearing Using Integral Hermetically-Sealed Squeeze Film Dampers,” ASME Paper No. GT2018-76312). Test results for a 3 in. (76.2 mm) diameter bearing using a test rig providing static loads up to 80 lbs (356 N), controlled-dynamic orbital motion, and speeds up to 27 krpm are shown. Results include frequency- and speed-dependent direct and cross-coupled rotordynamic force coefficients. Dynamic testing showed little dependence on rotor speed or static load and exhibited frequency dependency at lower excitation frequencies. Cross-coupled terms are generally an order of magnitude lower than direct terms. Results show the direct stiffness coefficients increasing with frequency, while direct damping decays radically with frequency. Comparison of the overall gas bearing coefficients with the companion paper (Ertas, B. H., 2019, “Compliant Hybrid Gas Bearing Using Integral Hermetically-Sealed Squeeze Film Dampers,” ASME Paper No. GT2018-76312), showing bearing support coefficients, reveals a drastic reduction in damping when engaging the gas film. The results also indicate that the bearing can withstand vibration levels representative of a large rotor system critical speed at lower excitation frequencies.

Commissioning of a Combined Hot-Streak and Swirl Profile Generator in a Transonic Turbine Test Facility

AbstractBy enhancing the premixing of fuel and air prior to combustion, recently developed lean-burn combustor systems have led to reduced NOx and particulate emissions in gas turbines. Lean-burn combustor exit flows are typically characterized by nonuniformities in total temperature, or so-called hot-streaks, swirling velocity profiles, and high turbulence intensity. While these systems improve combustor performance, the exiting flow-field presents significant challenges to the aerothermal performance of the downstream turbine. This paper presents the commissioning of a new fully annular lean-burn combustor simulator for use in the Oxford Turbine Research Facility (OTRF), a transonic rotating facility capable of matching nondimensional engine conditions. The combustor simulator can deliver engine-representative turbine inlet conditions featuring swirl and hot-streaks either separately or simultaneously. To the best of our knowledge, this simulator is the first of its kind to be implemented in a rotating turbine test facility.The combustor simulator was experimentally commissioned in two stages. The first stage of commissioning experiments was conducted using a bespoke facility exhausting to atmospheric conditions (Hall and Povey, 2015, “Experimental Study of Non-Reacting Low NOx Combustor Simulator for Scaled Turbine Experiments,” ASME Paper No. GT2015-43530.) and included area surveys of the generated temperature and swirl profiles. The survey data confirmed that the simulator performed as designed, reproducing the key features of a lean-burn combustor. However, due to the hot and cold air mixing process occurring at lower Reynolds number in the facility, there was uncertainty concerning the degree to which the measured temperature profile represented that in OTRF. The second stage of commissioning experiments was conducted with the simulator installed in the OTRF. Measurements of the total temperature field at turbine inlet and of the high-pressure (HP) nozzle guide vane (NGV) loading distributions were obtained and compared to measurements with uniform inlet conditions. The experimental survey results were compared to unsteady numerical predictions of the simulator at both atmospheric and OTRF conditions. A high level of agreement was demonstrated, indicating that the Reynolds number effects associated with the change to OTRF conditions were small. Finally, data from the atmospheric test facility and the OTRF were combined with the numerical predictions to provide an inlet boundary condition for numerical simulation of the test turbine stage. The NGV loading measurements show good agreement with the numerical predictions, providing validation of the stage inlet boundary condition imposed. The successful commissioning of the simulator in the OTRF will enable future experimental studies of lean-burn combustor–turbine interaction.

Large Eddy Simulation of the Laminar Heat Transfer Augmentation on the Pressure Side of a Turbine Vane Under Freestream Turbulence

Vane pressure side heat transfer is studied numerically using large eddy simulation (LES) on an aft-loaded vane with a large leading edge over a range of turbulence conditions. Numerical simulations are performed in a linear cascade at exit chord Reynolds number of Re = 5.1 × 105 at low (Tu ≈ 0.7%), moderate (Tu ≈ 7.9%), and high (Tu ≈ 12.4%) freestream turbulence with varying length scales as prescribed by the experimental measurements of Varty and Ames (2016, “Experimental Heat Transfer Distributions Over an Aft Loaded Vane With a Large Leading Edge at Very High Turbulence Levels,” ASME Paper No. IMECE2016-67029). Heat transfer predictions on the vane pressure side are in a very good agreement with the experimental measurements and the heat transfer augmentation due to the freestream turbulence is well captured. At Tu ≈ 12.4%, freestream turbulence enhances the Stanton number on the pressure surface without boundary layer transition to turbulence by a maximum of about 50% relative to the low freestream turbulence case. Higher freestream turbulence generates elongated structures and high-velocity streaks wrapped around the leading edge that contain significant energy. Amplification of the velocity streaks is observed further downstream with max rms of 0.3 near the trailing edge but no transition to turbulence or formation of turbulence spots is observed on the pressure side. The heat transfer augmentation at the higher freestream turbulence is primarily due to the initial amplification of the low-frequency velocity perturbations inside the boundary layer that persist along the entire chord of the airfoil. Stanton numbers appear to scale with the streamwise velocity fluctuations inside the boundary layer.

Numerical Modeling and Analysis of a Hybrid-Spar Floating Wind Turbine

In this paper, numerical modeling and analysis of a hybrid-spar floating wind turbine is presented. The hybrid-spar consists of steel at the upper part and precast prestressed concrete at the lower part. Such a configuration is referred to as a hybrid-spar in this paper. The hybrid spar was successfully installed offshore of Kabashima island, Goto city, Nagasaki prefecture, Japan, on Oct. 18, 2013 (see Utsunomiya et al., 2015, “Design and Installation of a Hybrid-Spar Floating Wind Turbine Platform,” ASME Paper No. OMAE2015-41544 for details). In this paper, some details on numerical modeling of the hybrid-spar for design load analysis are presented. Then, the validation of the numerical analysis model is presented for a full-scale hybrid-spar model with 2-MW wind turbine. The comparison has been made for the natural periods and the response during rated power production test. Basically, both comparisons have shown good agreement between the measured values and the simulation, showing reliability of the developed code and the numerical model.

A Comprehensive Hydrodynamics-Salinity-pH Model for Analyzing the Effects of Freshwater Withdrawals in Calcasieu Lake and Surrounding Water Systems

The study is a continuation of the authors' previous works on hydrodynamics and sediment transport modeling for Calcasieu Lake area (located in southwest Louisiana) (Zhang, N., Zheng, Z. C., and Yadagiri, S., 2011, “A Hydrodynamic Simulation for the Circulation and Transport in Coastal Watersheds,” Comput. Fluids, 47(1), pp. 178–88; Zhang, N., Kee, D., and Li, P., 2013, “Investigation of the Impacts of Gulf Sediments on Calcasieu Ship Channel and Surrounding Water Systems,” Comput. Fluids, 77, pp. 125–133; Yadav, P. K., Thapa, S., Han, X., Richmond, C., and Zhang, N., 2015, “Investigation of the Effects of Wetland Vegetation on Coastal Flood Reduction Using Hydrodynamic Simulation,” ASME Paper No. AJKFluids2015-3044). The major purposes of the study are: (1) to demonstrate the new model features and validate the model results, (2) to disclose the effects of Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) and determine the boundary conditions for GIWW in the model, and (3) to use the model to analyze the effects of excessive freshwater withdrawals on the changes of hydrodynamics and salinity in the Calcasieu Lake system. Several new model features were added to the existing model framework, including the extension of modeling domain, vegetation model, salinity transport model, and pH calculation. Measurement data from NOAA and USGS are used as boundary conditions for the model. Simulation results were compared with measurement data from NOAA, USGS and other sources for validation. Due to lack of measured data for GIWW in the target area, the effect of GIWW flow conditions on the modeling results was investigated and appropriate GIWW boundary condition was determined based on numerical tests. Numerous petrochemical plants in the area use tremendous amount of fresh surface water. Recent industry expansions may further increase the demands of freshwater withdrawals. One of the purposes of the study is to use developed model to test and analyze the effects of increased freshwater withdrawal from Calcasieu River at the north boundary of the study area on the hydrodynamics and salinity in the downstream Calcasieu Lake system.

Particle Image Velocimetry Measurements of Aeroacoustic Sources of a Shallow Cavity in a Pipeline

The aeroacoustic sources generated by flow over a ducted shallow cavity in the presence of a longitudinal plane sound wave are examined at various Strouhal numbers and sound intensities. The cavity is exposed to high Reynolds number fully developed pipe flow. Extensive particle image velocimetry (PIV) flow measurements are performed to characterize the unsteady velocity field and finite element analysis is used to obtain the acoustic velocity field. Howe's aeroacoustic integrand is then used to compute the spatial and temporal distributions of the aeroacoustic sources resulting from the cavity shear layer interaction with the sound field. The results show two aeroacoustic sources separated by a sink along the cavity shear layer. This distribution is different from that reported for the closed side-branch resonance case, which shows a single source at the downstream corner and a sink at the upstream corner of the cavity. The effect of the upstream corner geometry in the present case is, therefore, expected to be different from the case of side-branch resonance. The time-averaged sound power distribution is computed and the total sound power per cycle is compared with the aeroacoustic source strength measured by means of the standing wave method (SWM) (Mohamed, S., Graf, H. R., and Ziada, S., 2011, “Aeroacoustic Source of a Shallow Cavity in a Pipeline,” ASME Paper No. PVP2011-57437). The merits of these two methods in determining the aeroacoustic sources are highlighted.

Estimation of Effective Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Particulate Thermal Interface Materials by a Random Network Model

Particulate thermal interface materials (TIMs) are commonly used to transport heat from chip to heat sink. While high thermal conductance is achieved by large volume loadings of highly conducting particles in a compliant matrix, small volume loadings of stiff particles will ensure reduced thermal stresses in the brittle silicon device. Developing numerical models to estimate effective thermal and mechanical properties of TIM systems would help optimize TIM performance with respect to these conflicting requirements. Classical models, often based on single particle solutions or regular arrangement of particles, are insufficient as real-life TIM systems contain a distribution of particles at high volume fractions, where classical models are invalid. In our earlier work, a computationally efficient random network model (RNM) was developed to estimate the effective thermal conductivity of TIM systems (Kanuparthi et al., 2008, “An Efficient Network Model for Determining the Effective Thermal Conductivity of Particulate Thermal Interface Materials,” IEEE Trans. Compon. Packag. Technol., 31(3), pp. 611–621; Dan et al., 2009, “An Improved Network Model for Determining the Effective Thermal Conductivity of Particulate Thermal Interface Materials,” ASME Paper No. InterPACK2009-89116.) . This model is extended in this paper to estimate the effective elastic modulus of TIMs. Realistic microstructures are simulated and analyzed using the proposed method. Factors affecting the modulus (volume fraction and particle size distribution (PSD)) are also studied.

Simulations of Slot Film-Cooling With Freestream Acceleration and Turbulence

Slot film cooling in an accelerating boundary layer with high freestream turbulence is studied numerically using large eddy simulations (LES). Calculations are done for a symmetrical leading edge geometry with the slot fed by a plenum populated with pin fins. The synthetic eddy method is used to generate different levels of turbulence and length scales at the inflow cross-plane. Calculations are done for a Reynolds number of 250,000 and freestream turbulence levels of 0.7%, 3.5%, 7.8%, and 13.7% to predict both film cooling effectiveness and heat transfer coefficient over the test surface. These conditions correspond to the experimental measurements of (Busche, M. L., Kingery, J. E., and Ames, F. E., 2014, “Slot Film Cooling in an Accelerating Boundary Layer With High Free-Stream Turbulence,” ASME Paper No. GT2014-25360.) Numerical results show good agreement with measurements and show the observed decay of thermal effectiveness and increase of Stanton number with turbulence intensity. Velocity and turbulence exiting the slot are nonuniform laterally due to the presence of pin fins in the plenum feeding the slot which creates a nonuniform surface temperature distribution. No transition to fully turbulent boundary layer is observed throughout the numerical domain. However, freestream turbulence increases wall shear stress downstream driving the velocity profiles toward the turbulent profile and counteracts the laminarizing effects of the favorable pressure gradient. The effective Prandtl number decreases with freestream turbulence. The temperature profiles deviate from the self-similar profile measured under low freestream turbulence condition, reflecting the role of the increased diffusivity in the boundary layer at higher freestream turbulence.

Detailed Examination of a Modified Two-Stage Micro Gas Turbine Combustor

Jet-stabilized combustion is a promising technology for fuel flexible, reliable, highly efficient combustion systems. The aim of this work is a reduction of NOx emissions of a previously published two-stage micro gas turbine (MGT) combustor (Zanger et al., 2015, “Experimental Investigation of the Combustion Characteristics of a Double-Staged FLOX-Based Combustor on an Atmospheric and a Micro Gas Turbine Test Rig,” ASME Paper No. GT2015-42313 and Schwärzle et al., 2016, “Detailed Examination of Two-Stage Micro Gas Turbine Combustor,” ASME Paper No. GT2016-57730), where the pilot stage (PS) of the combustor was identified as the main contributor to NOx emissions. The geometry optimization was carried out regarding the shape of the pilot dome and the interface between PS and main stage (MS) in order to prevent the formation of high-temperature recirculation zones. Both stages have been run separately to allow a detailed understanding of the flame stabilization within the combustor, its range of stable combustion, the interaction between both stages, and the influence of the modified geometry. All experiments were conducted at atmospheric pressure and an air preheat temperature of 650 °C. The flame was analyzed in terms of shape, length, and lift-off height, using OH* chemiluminescence (OH-CL) images. Emission measurements for NOx, CO, and unburned hydrocarbons (UHC) emissions were carried out. At a global air number of λ = 2, a fuel split variation was carried out from 0 (only PS) to 1 (only MS). The modification of the geometry leads to a decrease in NOx and CO emissions throughout the fuel split variation in comparison with the previous design. Regarding CO emissions, the PS operations are beneficial for a fuel split above 0.8. The local maximum in NOx emissions observed for the previous combustor design at a fuel split of 0.78 was not apparent for the modified design. NOx emissions were increasing, when the local air number of the PS was below the global air number. In order to evaluate the influence of the modified design on the flow field and identify the origin of the emission reduction compared to the previous design, unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes simulations were carried out for both geometries at fuel splits of 0.93 and 0.78, respectively, using the DLR (German Aerospace Center) in-house code turbulent heat release extension of the tau code (theta) with the k–ω shear stress transport turbulence model and the DRM22 (Kazakov and Frenklach, 1995, “DRM22,” University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, accessed Sept. 21, 2017, http://www.me.berkeley.edu/drm/) detailed reaction mechanism. The numerical results showed a strong influence of the recirculation zones on the PS reaction zone.

High-Speed Shadowgraphy Measurements of an Erosive Particle-Laden Jet Under High-Pressure Compressor Conditions

Erosive damage done to jet engine compressor blading by solid particles has a negative influence on the compressor aerodynamic properties and hence decreases performance. The erosive change of shape has been investigated in a multitude of experiments ranging from eroding flat plates to eroding full engines. The basic challenge to transfer the results from very simple tests to real life erosion remains. Up to date measurement techniques today allow closing this gap. The necessary experimental and analytical steps are shown. The erosion resistance of Ti–6Al–4V at realistic flow conditions with fluid velocities ranging from 200 to 400 m/s is used. The erodent used was quartz sand with a size distribution corresponding to standardized Arizona Test Dust A3 (1–120 μm). Flat plates out of Ti–6Al–4V were eroded at different impingement angles. The particle velocities and sizes were investigated using a high-speed laser shadowgraphy technique. A dimensional analysis was carried out to obtain nondimensional parameters suitable for describing erosion. Different averaging methods of the particle velocity were examined in order to identify a representative particle velocity. Compared to the fluid velocity and the mean particle velocity, the energy averaged particle velocity is found to be the best representation of the erosiveness of a particle stream. The correlations derived from the dimensional analysis are capable of precisely predicting erosion rates for different rig operating points (OPs). The results can be applied to the methodology published by Schrade et al. (2015, “Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Erosive Change of Shape for High-Pressure Compressors,” ASME Paper No. GT2015-42061).