Axial Flow Research Articles

Annular unidirectional slip Couette flow with heat transfer and variable viscosity by Laplace transform and homotopy perturbation method

This article investigates the thermal, variable viscosity axial Couette flow between two con- centric circular cylinders, taking into account both the Navier and the dynamic slip boundary conditions. In order to put in evidence the effect of dynamic slip on the behavior of the solution, we have kept the flowing fluid to a simple Newtonian viscous fluid. The nonlinear governing equations for momentum and energy balance are solved under startup condition using the Laplace transform (LT) technique, in conjunction with the Homotopy Perturbation Method (HPM). The first two orders of approximation for temperature and velocity are obtained, as well as the entropy generation in the space occupied by the flow and the volumetric flux. Numerical results and graphical representations of the solution are provided and discussed to depict the effects of the slip parameters on the velocity and the temperature profiles, on the entropy generation rate and on the volumetric flux.

Transient dynamic stress behavior analysis of the axial flow pump as turbine at part loads

To explore the structural dynamic characteristics of the impeller and shaft system of the axial flow pump as turbine, the variation law of impeller transient equivalent stress, deformation, and the impeller and shaft system mode are analyzed by the transient fluid-structure interaction method. Findings indicate that the equivalent stress is centralized at the blade root around the hub and tends to decrease as it moves towards the shroud. The maximum equivalent stress at 1.0Qbep and 1.1Qbep is 1.26 times and 2.0 times higher than that at 0.8Qbep. Blade deformation is significantly influenced by flow rate. The maximum deformation of the blade at 1.0Qbep and 1.1Qbep is 1.6 times and 3.6 times higher than that at 0.8Qbep. The impeller and shaft system with prestress in dry mode has an average natural frequency of the first 10 orders that is 16.7 Hz higher than without prestress. However, with the fluid adding mass and flow damping, the average natural frequency of the first 10 orders of the impeller and shaft system in wet mode is reduced by 278.08 Hz compared with dry mode. In fact, the impeller and shaft system of the axial flow pump as turbine is not prone to vibration.

Unsteady behaviour and plane blade angle configurations' effects on pressure fluctuations and internal flow analysis in axial flow pumps

Pumps play a crucial role in various applications, and this study employs the CFD method to simulate the internal flow of an axial pump. Utilizing a three-dimensional model with real clearances, our investigation focuses on the pump's internal flow and pressure pulsation under diverse operating conditions. Specifically, we operated an axial pump at varying blade angles (30°, 45°, 60°, and 75°) to determine transient flow fields, aiming to identify both qualitative and quantitative characteristics. In line with current research practices, we present a comparison between numerical calculations and experimental results, revealing reasonable agreement. The simulation results highlight the influence of flow rate and plane blade angle on key parameters such as static pressure, dynamic pressure, total pressure, velocity magnitude fluctuations, and shear stress. Notably, pressure increases near or at the blade tip, and hydraulic flow becomes more evident under different blade angles and conditions. The highest pressure and velocity are observed on the blade with a 45-degree plane angle. These findings provide valuable insights for enhancing the hydraulic performance of axial pumps. To ascertain the model's accuracy and reliability, our research establishes a side-by-side comparison between numerical predictions and experimental data, demonstrating a satisfactory level of agreement. The CFD simulations yield critical insights into the pump's performance, emphasizing the profound sensitivity of parameters to variations in flow rate and blade angle, crucial for understanding and optimizing the pump's behavior.

Research on wake characteristics and HCWF blade number matching of a new coupled propeller

For the purpose of wake energy recovery and hub vortex control in a new Coupled Propeller (CP), three hub cap with fins (HCWF) schemes with different blade numbers are designed for a specific multi-blade CP. A numerical investigation of the CP-HCWF system is conducted using the Large Eddy Simulation (LES) method. Firstly, the analysis focuses on the distribution of axial and tangential flow velocity characteristics of the CP. The wake spectral characterization analysis results reveal that the 10th-order component is equivalent to the 5th-order components within 0.7 R of the HCWF. However, beyond 0.7 R of the HCWF, the 10th-order component becomes more significant. Then, the influence of the HCWF blade number on the CP performance is further analyzed. Hydrodynamic efficiency, post-hub pressure recovery, wake energy recovery, and hub vortex elimination improve with increased HCWF blade numbers. The 10-blade HCWF demonstrates the best performance. Ultimately, the reliability of the numerical findings is verified through the model test. The efficiency variation with the fin number exhibits a consistent trend in the test and calculation results. It is suggested that the HCWF blade number is selected by considering the sum of the CP blades as a reference.

Design and experimental analysis of a new vertical ultra-low-head hydro turbine with the variation of outlet flow level on the head drop section of an open canal

Hydropower generation from ultra-low-head water resources is the salient category. The power can be tapped through different non-conventional turbines and is developing these days with different features. This research aims to develop a technology that applies to ultra-low-head resources from conceptualization to laboratory testing. Among several ultra-low-head water resources, it is concentrated on the power generation from the head drop section of the open canal flow through a new hydro turbine. A vertical shaft turbine with an axial flow type of runner having fixed, flat, and constant blade thickness including fixed guide vanes has been designed conventionally for 0.5 m of head and 0.088 m3/s of discharge. Several experiments have been conducted with fixing the level of flow outlet control from 0.0 m to 0.5 m creating the runner from free to submerged conditions is the novelty of this research. The results obtained for all the independent and dependent variables are presented and discussed for a constant flow of 0.088 m3/s and constant speed of 115 rpm conditions. The uncertainty on measurement was found ±1.85 % and the overall maximum efficiency obtained was 53.8 % for flow 10 % above the design flow. The research has concluded the use of outlet flow control is necessary to achieve the maximum efficiency of the turbine at a specific height and the overall efficiency can be advanced further through the optimization of blade profile.

Study and Experiment on Screen Surface Homogenization Technology of Dislodged Material Based on Longitudinal Flow Threshing

Aiming at the problems of uneven distribution of dislodged material on the screen surface of longitudinal axial flow grain combine harvester, a large difference in material clearing time, and large clearing loss, a dislodged material homogenizing device that can realize dislodged material return and homogenization at the rear of longitudinal axial flow was developed. (1) The structure and motion parameters of the reflux plate were determined, and simulation tests were carried out to verify them; (2) A test bench was set up, and the Box-Behnken test method was adopted to determine the influence law of each factor on the operating effect and the optimal parameter combination, and the results showed that the tilt angle of the return plate, motor speed, and amplitude had a significant influence on the distribution uniformity of the material on the screen surface; it was determined that the optimal combination of the angle of the return plate configuration was 28.7°, the speed of the motor was 247 r/min, the amplitude of the return plate was 18.3 mm, and the seed contamination rate was 0.48%. The optimum combination was determined to be 28.7°, 247 r/min, 18.3 mm, and 0.48% impurity rate; (3) under the conditions of the field test validation, the validation error is less than 5%, proving that it can effectively improve the performance of the clearing and reduce the rate of impurity content.

The effects of different impeller combinations in the Sphingan WL gum fermentation process

The fermentation of the high-viscosity polysaccharide WL gum has always been associated with poor mass transfer. Appropriate impeller configurations are key factors in maintaining homogeneity and sufficient mass transfer conditions. Therefore, a flat-folded disc turbine impeller (FFDT) taking into account both the reduced cavitation effect and the increased contact area was designed. Besides, a curved cross impeller (CC) and a fishbone-shaped impeller (FS) generating axial flow were also designed. The energy consumption and efficiency of the designed impellers and eight reported impellers were evaluated through fermentation and principal component analysis (PCA). Compared to the commonly-used six-blade flat-blade disc turbine (FBDT), the ungassed power number of FFDT was reduced by 50 %. Combinations of six-blade Brumajin impeller (BM) + FFDT and CC + FFDT produced high WL gum production and viscosity (34.0 g/L, 35.50 g/L, and 62.64 Pa·s, 61.68 Pa·s, respectively) and were suitable impellers for WL biosynthesis. WL gum from BM + FFDT showed higher viscosity, viscoelasticity, and molecular weight than that from FBDT + FBDT. In addition, fewer amino acids and pyruvic acid intermediates were formed using BM + FFDT, indicating a greater metabolic flux towards WL gum synthesis. This work provided an important reference for the design of impellers in high-viscosity fermentation systems.

Effect of Tip Gap Size on the Tip Flow Structure and Turbulence Generation in a Low Reynolds Number Compressor Cascade

Abstract Efficient and compact axial compressors are currently undergoing rapid development for use in microcooling systems and small-scale vehicles. Limited experimental work concentrates on the inner flow field of the compressors working at such low Reynolds numbers (Re∼104). This study examines the vortical structures and the resulting turbulence production in the transitional flow over a C4 compressor blade at a Reynolds number Re of 24,000, with a specific focus on the impact of tip clearance. The particle image velocimetry measurements reveal the tip flow structures in detail, including the tip leakage vortex (TLV) and its induced complex vortical structures. The tip secondary flow at the low Reynolds number can be divided as the tip leakage flow (TLF)/vortex and transitional boundary layer both at the end walls and the blade surfaces. The TLV propagates at the highest spanwise positions and farthest pitchwise positions at the middle tip gap size (τ/C = 3%) for the three tip gap sizes investigated. The tip flow fluctuations decrease from τ/C = 5% to τ/C = 3% and then increase from τ/C = 3% to τ/C = 1%. The spatial distribution, streamwise evolution, and individual Reynolds normal stress components contributing to the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) are discussed. The primary contributors to the turbulence generation are examined to elucidate the flow mechanism leading to the distinct anisotropic turbulence structure in the tip region with various tip gap sizes.

Developing and correction methods for a one-dimensional axial flow compressor model

This paper establishes a one-dimensional model of an axial flow compressor using the Average Mid-Diameter Method and employs polynomials to adjust the off-design stagger angle and off-design loss models. Furthermore, a model stepwise correction strategy based on the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm is proposed. The accuracy of the corrected one-dimensional axial flow compressor model was verified and integrated into the overall engine model for validation. Simulation results indicate that the maximum error in calculating the characteristics of the established one-dimensional axial flow compressor model does not exceed 6%, and the maximum error in simulating the overall engine model remains below 4%. These findings validate the effectiveness of modeling and correction methods for a one-dimensional axial flow compressor model targeting aero-engine component-level model.

Simulation and validation of instability transient process in multistage high-speed axial compressor based on the body-force model

In this paper, a method for simulating the instability transient process of the axial compression system based on the body-force model is developed, and a corresponding simulation program is developed. Simulations of the transient process of instability were carried out on a high-speed four-stage compressor and compared with experimental data. At 50% of the design rotational speed, the type of instability was rotating stall, and the simulated and experimental stall cell propagation speed were very close to each other. At 70% of the design rotational speed, the type of instability was surge. A “surge loop” was simulated, and the surge period and the percentage of time spent in each phase were consistent with the experiments. The simulation successfully predicted the blockage in the surge re-pressurization phase, proving the reliability of the simulation results. In addition, the computation yields more information about the flow field. By summing the blade forces of all grids on a blade row by volume, the surge loadings are obtained. The analysis of the axial momentum equation shows that the obtained blade force variations are reasonable. The simulation time of the multistage axial compressor is greatly reduced compared to the full annulus three-dimensional unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes method, demonstrating its great advantage in the design phase of the compressor.

Influence of bleeding positions in self-recirculating casing treatments on the stability of a subsonic axial compressor

Influence of bleeding positions in self-recirculating casing treatments on the stability of a subsonic axial compressor

Numerical Analysis of a Novel Casing Treatment in an Axial Flow Fan

The present paper reports the use of a slotted casing treatment of trapezoidal shape to enhance the stall margin of an axial flow fan. The Taguchi method was used to optimize the rectangular slotted casing treatment based on that which the trapezoidal slots were designed. The unsteady numerical simulations were carried out using the shear-stress-transport turbulence model. The rotor with trapezoidal slots led to the stall margin improvement of 23.4% and mild pressure rise of 0.54%. Without the casing treatment, the tip leakage trajectory was directed from the suction surface of the blade toward the pressure surface of the adjacent blade. After incorporating the trapezoidal slots, the tip leakage trajectory was significantly shifted toward the suction surface of the same blade. This alteration in flow characteristics near the blade-tip region may be attributed to the exchange of momentum due to the simultaneous suction and blowing through the trapezoidal slots. It was also found that the trapezoidal slots improved the axial flow velocity and reduced the diffusion factor in the blade-tip region as compared to the baseline case.

Advanced diagnostic techniques for turbo compressors: A spectral analysis approach for preventive maintenance

This paper introduces an innovative spectral analysis control approach aimed at monitoring and diagnosing machine malfunctions to prevent potential failures. The research was conducted on a critical machine in a major industrial enterprise. The proposed method involves the use of a new indicator, called Overall Level (OL), that evaluates the machine’s condition before any operation. This study showcases practical methodologies for transitioning from time-based maintenance to predictive strategies, furnishing actionable insights into machine condition. This yields tangible advantages for the industry in terms of optimizing maintenance practices and enhancing asset productivity. Additionally, various methods, including vibration analysis, performance monitoring, and data analysis, are employed to identify the causes of issues and recommend solutions to enhance the reliability of the turbo compressor. The results provide a clear representation of the machine’s vibration state for diagnostic purposes. This noteworthy intervention underscores the potential of incorporating the measured and calculated values of the OL indicator across three specifically chosen frequency bands. To achieve this objective, the average value is employed as an indicator, contributing to the enhancement of reliability and longevity of critical industrial machinery. In this context, the novelty of the findings resides in the advanced diagnostic capabilities of the turbocompressor, thereby augmenting the efficacy of condition-based preventive maintenance for the BP 103 J turbine. The ultimate goal is to extend the equipment’s lifespan, improve the efficiency of the rotating machinery fleet, reduce maintenance costs, and enhance parameters such as availability and reliability through the support of an electronic maintenance system.

Simulation and experiment of the aerodynamic performance of a vane compressor damaged by a bird strike

Based on the purpose of studying the impact of bird strike on compressor aerodynamic performance, this paper takes a single-stage low-speed axial flow compressor as an object to establish a blade model damaged by bird strike, and on this basis, it carries out a three-dimensional full-loop numerical simulation and experiments on the compressor model with damaged blades. Through comparison with the experimental data of undamaged compressors, the results show that after the rotor blades are damaged, the rotor blades are damaged. The aerodynamic performance and stability of the compressor have significantly decreased, which accords with our understanding. The reliability of the numerical simulation method is verified by analyzing the detailed flow field structure of typical working conditions and comparing the experimental data of the compressor, which lays a foundation for the relevant calculation of damaged blades in the future.

Aerodynamic Optimization of a Single-Stage Transonic Axial Compressor with a Circumferential Feedback Channel

Aerodynamic Optimization of a Single-Stage Transonic Axial Compressor with a Circumferential Feedback Channel

Controlling Couette flow by alternating axial mass flux

This paper presents numerical simulations of the Taylor vortex flow under the influence of an externally applied alternating axial mass flux (through-flow) in a Taylor–Couette system with axial periodic boundary conditions. Such an axially modulating flow can lead to a significant variation in the onset of primary instabilities. Depending on the system parameters, the effect can be both stabilizing and destabilizing, i.e., shifting the bifurcation threshold to larger or smaller control parameters, respectively. It is found that the system response around the primary instability is sensitive to and critically influenced by an alternating mass flux, particularly the modulation frequency. We show that such an alternating axial flow represents an easily and, more importantly, precisely controllable key parameter to change the nonlinear system response from subcritical to supercritical behavior and vice versa. Furthermore, we observe different parameter regimes with regular and irregular intermittent flow dynamics.

Improving virtual heat transfer description of developed and undeveloped annular gap flows at high Taylor numbers

Increased power densities of electric machines are, amongst other factors, related also to the increase of the rotors’ rotating velocities. These can be combined with axial flow to improve the heat transfer in the annular gap. The resulting high rotating and axial velocities are characterized with high Taylor (Ta) and Reynolds (Re) numbers. Such flow regimes are currently not yet thoroughly described. The reasons are in the complex interactions between the operating conditions, annular gap geometry and the conditions at the gap inlet, which affect the flow development in the gap. Each of these impacts varies between different electric machines, adding to the complexity of description. To address this, a numerical study based on 3D CFD simulations is performed. The study accounts for the impacts of the flow conditioning at the entrance to the annular gap and the possibility that the small scale turbulent structures might not be well resolved at high Ta numbers. Thus, different inflow configurations are applied using both RANS and LES models. The results are compared with available experimental and numerical data and provide a valuable insight into the requirements for reliable heat transfer description in the increasingly interesting flow conditions.

Enhancement of Convection and Molecular Transport into Film Stacked Structures by Introduction of Notch Shape for Micro-Immunoassay.

A 3D-stack microfluidic device that can be used in combination with 96-well plates for micro-immunoassay was developed by the authors. ELISA for detecting IgA by the 3D-stack can be performed in one-ninth of the time of the conventional method by using only 96-well plates. In this study, a notched-shape film was designed and utilized for the 3D-stack to promote circulation by enhancing and utilizing the axial flow and circumferential flow in order to further reduce the reaction time. A finite element analysis was performed to evaluate the axial flow and circumferential flow while using the 3D-stack in a well and design the optimal shape. The 3D-stack with the notched-shape film was fabricated and utilized for the binding rate test of the antibody and antigen and ELISA. As a result, by promoting circulation using 3D-stack with notched-shape film, the reaction time for each process of ELISA was reduced to 1 min, which is 1/60 for 96 wells at low concentrations.

CFD Analysis and Validation of Axial Compressor Rotor Blade

This research paper employs computational simulations to investigate the consequences of inlet flow distortion, focusing specifically on inlet swirl and total pressure distortion, on the operational characteristics and robustness of an axial transonic compressor. Various permutations of inlet swirl and total pressure distortion are examined, uncovering diverse impacts on the compressor's operational robustness and efficiency. The analysis demonstrates that while co-swirl configurations marginally enhance the operational robustness of the compressor, counter-swirl configurations tend to diminish it. The combination of the effects of individual distortion patterns can provide insights into certain aspects of how a composite pattern of distortion would affect the compressor's efficiency, yet this approach falls short in accurately evaluating the compressor's operational robustness when subjected to a composite distortion pattern.

A novel self-supervised representation learning framework based on time-frequency alignment and interaction for mechanical fault diagnosis

Recently, supervised learning methods for intelligent mechanical fault diagnosis have achieved considerable advancements, while they heavily rely on labeled information and neglect massive unlabeled signals. Consequently, some self-supervised research has emerged and employs contrastive learning to mine general knowledge from unlabeled samples. However, these methods emphasize independent feature extraction and lack deep feature interaction, which limits better representation learning. Furthermore, it also restricts the performance improvement of fault diagnosis. To fill this gap, a novel self-supervised representation learning framework based on time-frequency alignment and interaction (TFAI) is proposed to improve the diagnosis reliability under limited labeled data. Comprising a dual encoder and a cross-modal encoder based on Transformers, the proposed TFAI model takes paired time-frequency data as input for self-supervised pretraining. Two self-supervised learning strategies, namely time-frequency alignment and time-frequency interaction, are proposed to enable the model to gain valuable knowledge from unlabeled data. The former leverages a time-frequency contrastive loss to drive the dual encoder to extract profound features from unlabeled data. The latter involves utilizing a time-frequency matching loss to guide the cross-modal encoder to perform deep feature fusion in an unsupervised manner. The well pretrained TFAI model can learn informative representations and can be fine-tuned for specific downstream fault diagnosis tasks to improve the diagnosis accuracy. By conducting three experimental cases on an axial flow pump system and a public gearbox platform system, the effectiveness, generalizability, and domain adaptability of the proposed method are validated.