Channel Bend Research Articles

Width variation around submarine channel bends: Implications for sedimentation and channel evolution

Submarine-fan channels can build the largest sediment accumulations on Earth, but our understanding of flow and sedimentation processes related to channel evolution remains limited. Results from physical and numerical modelling predict dominantly downstream channel bend migration. However, observations and evolutionary models for aggradational submarine channels on passive margins suggest that bends are dominated by lateral expansion. This paradox may be due to limitations induced by the use of constant width channels in process studies. Constant width has been used for two reasons: partly because this is the simplest possible case, but primarily because the width variation around submarine channel bends is unknown. Channel width variations are examined from an active channel reach with 49 bends and three inactive but unfilled channel reaches with a total of 35 bends from the Congo Fan. Each bend was divided into 13 cross-sections, and for each cross-section, channel width was measured for the channel base, and at 10 m vertical increments up to the height of the channel banks. The results indicate that channels are typically wider around bend apices than around inflections. We argue that this morphology suggests that channels are controlled by bank-pull (outer bank erosion), with later deposition at the inner bend, similar to many rivers. The implications of these spatial changes in channel width around bends for sedimentation and channel evolution are explored, and we suggest that such changes may account for the contradictions between physical and numerical modelling, and seafloor observations. Integration of these channel width data with the known climate history of the Congo Fan, further suggests that the magnitude of channel width variation at bend apices may be controlled by allogenic forcing, with larger flows associated with greater width variations around bends.

Simplified Spectral Model of 3D Meander Flow

Most 2D (two-dimensional) models either take vertical velocity profiles as uniform, or consider secondary flow in momentum equations with presupposed velocity profiles, which weakly reflect the spatio-temporal characteristics of meander flow. To tackle meander flow in a more accurate 3D (three-dimensional) way while avoiding low computational efficiency, a new 3D model based on spectral methods is established and verified in this paper. In the present model, the vertical water flow field is expanded into polynomials. Governing equations are transformed by the Galerkin method and then advection terms are tackled with a semi-Lagrangian method. The simulated flow structures of an open channel bend are then compared with experimental results. Although a zero-equation turbulence model is used in this new 3D model, it shows reasonable flow structures, and calculation efficiency is comparable to a depth-averaged 2D model.

Autogenic translation and counter point bar deposition in meandering rivers

AbstractAlthough it has long been recognized that deposition along meandering rivers is not restricted to convex banks (i.e., point bars), the consensus is that sediment deposition on concave banks of channel bends mostly occurs when meander bends translate downstream because erosion-resistant barriers inhibit their lateral migration. Using a kinematic model of channel meandering and time lapse satellite imagery from the Mamoré River in Bolivia, we show that downstream translation and associated concave bank deposition are essential, autogenic parts of the meandering process, and resulting counter point bars are expected to be present whenever perturbations such as bend cutoffs and channel reoccupations create short bends with high curvatures. The implication is that zones of concave bank deposition with lower topography, finer-grained sediment, slack water, and riparian vegetation that differs from point bars are more common than previously considered.

Experimental Study in Measuring Pressure Loss at Micro Channel

The objective of study was to conduct experimental study in measuring the pressure loss due to the major and minor loss in fluid flow at straight and bent micro channel. Test channel had circular cross-sections with hydraulic diameters of 118 µm to 1203 µm for straight and 348 to 1203 for bent micro channels. The results showed that losses for larger diameter of straight channel were well predicted. The bent channel showed that the loss coefficient values were higher if the Reynolds number got smaller.

Study of counteracting the secondary flow in open channel bends

In terms of the importance of reducing the influences of curvature induced circulation secondary flow, several counteracting techniques/measures have been studied. Although the previous techniques have obtained good results yet, they involve fixed and permanent construction works in the channel. Most of the techniques have a negative impact on navigation, and may be damaged under extreme flow conditions. Therefore, the use of new technique has become very significant and must be studied. The aim of this paper to study a new technique as an indirect tool to counteract the impact of the secondary flow on the banks and bed at channel bends by re-distribution of the main flow velocity in the curved section through water jets. In a previous experiment, air bubbles are induced as a bubble screen (air media) with an appropriate velocity, through a porous tube placed near the outer bank in the sharply open channel bend 193°. In this paper, one of the previous experiments is modeled with the same shape and conditions, however, the induced air bubbles from the porous tube in the experiment are replaced by a water screen to act as a source of momentum. A numerical model FLUENT was implemented and a realizable K-ε turbulent model was used to scrutinize and predict the velocity pattern in the channel bend. The impact of the change in lateral water jets flow from the porous tube was also investigated and results presented and compared. The results revealed that the water screen technique contributes in reducing the downward movement of the secondary circulation, dragging the flow upward, leading to the distribution of the secondary circulation, and shifting the core of maximum downstream velocities away from the outer bank towards the inner bank at the junction of generated circulation. The results also showed that the water screen is able to counteract the effect of the main flow circulation cells provided that this secondary flow is not less than 20% of the main flow and the corresponding velocity is also not less than 40% of the main flow velocity.

Performance Studies of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells with Different Flow Field Designs - Review.

Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) is majorly used for power generation without producing any emission. In PEMFC, the water generated in the cathode heavily affects the performance of fuel cell which needs better water management. The flow channel designs, dimensions, shape and size of the rib/channel, effective area of the flow channel and material properties are considered for better water management and performance enhancement of the PEMFC in addition to the inlet reactant's mass flow rate, flow directions, relative humidity, pressure and temperature. With the purpose of increasing the output energy of the fuel cell, many flow field designs are being developed continuously. In this paper, the performance of various conventional, modified, hybrid and new flow field designs of the PEMFC is studied in detail. Further the effects of channel tapering, channel bending, landing to channels width ratios, channel cross-sections and insertion of baffles/blockages/pin-fins/inserts are reviewed. The power density of the flow field designs, the physical parameters like active area, dimensions of channel/rib, number of channels; and the operating parameters like temperature and pressure are also tabulated.

Experiments on restoring alluvial cover using gravel augmentation in a variable width channel with irregular meanders

In partially-alluvial channels, an understanding of cover formation over a non-alluvial substrate is necessary for effective river management or restoration. Urban rivers, for example, are often sediment starved such that the underlying substrate may be exposed. Few experiments have investigated cover development in meandering channels, particularly where width and meander geometry are irregular as is often the case for partially alluvial channels. The purpose of this work is to support the development of sediment augmentation strategies to mitigate channel degradation and restore alluvial cover. The experiments also provide new insight into the impact of sediment supply rates on alluvial cover dynamics in variable-width channels. Under constant flow discharge and a continuous supply of sediment, sediment disperses downstream of the feed location and cover develops in a fragmented fashion. Cover initiation occurs downstream of bend apexes and develops as a series of discrete fixed bars whose morphology differs as a function of bend geometry and channel width. Cover expands and bars merge with time under steady sediment supply and discharge, eventually thickening to an equilibrium state in which sediment supply and output are approximately balanced. Higher sediment supply rates result in more extensive and thicker cover at equilibrium, including cover expanding into the cross-overs between the main bars. Coarse and fine fractions of the sediment supply are preferentially retained in the cover sediment because of fine particle deposition on bar tops and burial of initial coarse deposits. Models of areal cover with feed rate and cover thickness are proposed and compared with other studies. More experimentation is needed, but augmentation of alluvial gravel cover is a feasible approach to maintaining a sediment balance in partially-alluvial channels and for developing mobile alluvial cover in engineered channels.

Light confinement in liquid crystals for optofluidic integrated microsystems -INVITED

In this paper technology to make optical waveguides and microfluidic channels integrated on the same substrate will be reported to envisage novel micro-optofluidic chips. PolyDiMethylSiloxane (PDMS) is used to make microchannels to be filled with biological solutions. Liquid crystals (LC) are used to confine light to produce optical interaction with biological fluidic specimen. Optical waveguides base on PDMS channels filled with LC, named LC:PDMS waveguides, including both straight and bending channels are reported to design photonic devices. Electro-optic effect of LC allows to make tuneable optical waveguides to reconfigure the entire optofluidic microsystem which can include gold nanoparticles for photo-thermal therapies. Coplanar gold electrodes can switch LC molecules with applied voltage of about 2 V. Such electrode configuration can be used to make optical switches and wavelengths demultiplexers. A zero-gap directional coupler based on LC:PDMS waveguides has been designed to switch light from one waveguide to another with an extinction ratio of 16 dB by applying a voltage of just 1.62 V. A multimode interference demultiplexer has been also designed to demultiplex wavelengths at 980 nm and 1550 nm in two output waveguides with an extinction ratio better than 11 dB by applying about 7 V.

A numerical study on the influence of curvature ratio and vegetation density on a partially vegetated U-bend channel flow

Aquatic vegetation dramatically shifts the main flow, secondary flow and turbulent structures in a meandering channel. In this study, hydrodynamics in a bending channel with a vegetation patch (VP) has been numerically studied under the variation of curvature ratios (CRs=0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0) and the vegetation density i.e. Solid Volume Fractions (SVF=1.13%, 4.86%). Both effects on vegetation shear flow, helical flow, bed shear stress and bulk drag coefficients are studied in twelve cases by using Ansys Fluent package. Unsteady Reynolds Averaging Navier-Stokes (URANS) framework coupled with the Reynolds Stress turbulence Model (RSM) and Volume Of Fluid (VOF) approach is successfully applied to predict the entire flow field including multi-circulation cells as well as the free surface. The conclusions are summarized as three points. Firstly, an increase of CR moves the main circulation cell and thalweg's location towards the outer bank, while decreasing the drag coefficients in streamwise and spanwise. However, the CR weakly affects the normalised shear flow velocity profiles and dominant eddy frequencies downstream of the VP. Secondly, the trend of the dominant shedding frequency to fall with the increase of SVF that has been known only for SVF<3.4% is extended up to 10.4%. Furthermore, an opposite trend is found between the frequency and SVF for 10.4%<SVF<20%. Thirdly, a newly proposed patch dimensionless frequency number, StpSVFN, links Stp and SVF, where N is the number of stems in the patch. This number stays almost constant for each case series regardless of the variation of SVF (for SVF<10.4%). We also conclude that StpSVFN is strongly determined by the patch shape factor, mildly influenced by the patch Reynolds number, but it excludes the influence of the SVF and N. The insights from the present study unveil the complicated eco-hydro-morphic interactions among the bio-mass density, turbulent flow and channel meanders’ variation. It provides a better understanding of natural bending river systems’ development and fundamentals for the recovery of urban channel ecosystems by vegetated re-meandering.

Flow through side-combined structure in a channel bend under subcritical flow regime

ABSTRACT In this paper, the effects of the nondimensional parameters influencing the discharge coefficient of a side-combined structure located in a channel bend were studied using 288 experimental data. Experiments were conducted in a rectangular recirculating U-shaped channel (0.6 m width and 0.7 m height) for different discharges and depths of flow in the channel. The effects of approach Froude number Fr , the ratio of the gate height to gate opening d/a, the ratio of the approach flow depth to gate opening h 1/a, and angle of the bend curvature α on the discharge coefficient under subcritical flow conditions are investigated. It was found that the flow diversion by a side-combined structure leads to a reverse flow, two separation zones, and a stagnation zone in the main channel. The specific energy remains constant along with the side-combined structure. It was found that the discharge coefficient is a decreasing function of Fr and d/a. Moreover, the discharge coefficient increases by increasing h 1/a. By changing the location of the side-combined structure along the channel bend, the discharge coefficient reduces from upstream, reach to a minimum value at α= 90ᵒ, and increase further downstream. The discharge coefficient of a side-combined structure is maximums when it is located at section 115° of the bend. New equations for the discharge coefficient of a side-combined structure under subcritical flow conditions were obtained.

Experimental study of local scour around T-shaped spur dike in a meandering channel

Abstract A spur dike is mainly constructed as a river-training structure and is primarily used to prevent bank erosion. The restriction to flow caused by the construction of a spur dike promotes local scour around the structure. In the case of a dike placed in a channel bend, the scour becomes more aggressive. The literature review found that the research work related to local scour around a spur dike located in a meandering channel is very limited or minimal. Therefore, an experimental investigation was conducted to study the local scour process around a T-shaped spur dike placed at different locations along the outer bank (or concave) of a reverse-meandering channel. Non-dimensionalized empirical equations for temporal and maximum local scour depth were developed as the function of the Froude number of approach flow and spur dike location. It is observed that local scour around the dike increases with the increase in Froude number and location in the meander (measured from the entry to meander). The formulation for the maximum scour depth was further evaluated with the experimental data related to the 180° bend, from literature, and it was found that the proposed equation's application is very much limited.

Patterns of Magnetohydrodynamic Flow in the Bent Channel

The article considers the flow patterns of an electrically-conductive fluid in a 90 degree bend. The magnetic field is directed parallel to the outlet branch of the bend. Magnetohydrodynamic equations in terms of the small magnetic Reynolds numbers approach and the spectral-element method were used. The flow patterns were studied at different values of the Reynolds and the Hartmann numbers, and with regard to different values of the bent radus. A reverse flow was found in the outlet branch of the channel

On the topology of vortex structures and heat transfer of a gas turbine blade internal tip with different arrangement of delta-winglet vortex generators

This paper aims to provide a novel enhanced heat transfer method for the internal tip surface of a U bend channel of relevance for a gas turbine rotor blade. The DWVGs (delta-winglet vortex generators) pair is arranged at multiple locations on the tip surface. Two types of vortex generators are studied, including common-flow-up and common-flow-down configurations. The inlet channel Reynolds number varies from 10,000 to 50,000. The topological analysis method is used to determine the formation and evolution of the vortices and to better understand the mechanism of the heat transfer enhancement. Results of skin-friction lines, topological portrait, Nusselt number, friction factor, thermal performance are included. The results show that due to the interaction among the vortices surrounding the vortex generators, the DWVGs pair in common-flow-up configuration has a slight heat transfer improvement, and is not sensitive to the tip location. However, the DWVGs pair in common-flow-down configuration placed at the downstream of the tip surface improved the heat transfer significantly as the induced vortices between the turbulator pairs effectively reduce the thickness of the boundary layer. Compared with the smooth U bend channel, the optimal design shows that the heat transfer and overall thermal performance can be increased by up to 7.4% and 6.8%, respectively. This study elaborates the flow and heat transfer processes from the perspective of topology, which is helpful in the design of cooling procedures of turbine blades.

An experimental study on the secondary flows and bed shear stress at a 90-degree mild bend with and without triangular vanes

River outer bank erosion and associated inner bank sedimentation cause river morphological and environmental changes. Triangular vanes are eco-friendly structures used for protection of river bank from erosion and morphological changes, fish passage improvement, and also fish habitat enhancement. In the present study, the 3D velocity components at a mild 90-degree channel bend were measured via an electromagnetic velocity meter with and without installed triangular vane. These tests were conducted at a Froude number of Fr = 0.214. The analysis of data showed that the triangular vane decreased the bed shear stress near the outer bank at the upstream and downstream sections of the vane for a distance of about 11 times the effective length of the vane. The maximum reduction at the upstream and downstream of the structure was calculated to be 67% and 80%, respectively. The strength of the vane-induced secondary flow was greater than that of the bend-induced secondary flow. At the position of 0.8L in the structure's downstream, the strength of the vane-induced secondary flow was maximum, after which started reducing and reached the strength of the bend-induced secondary flow at the position of 7L in the structure's downstream.

Shock wave propagation in long laboratory sparks under negative switching impulses

A series of 1.27 m air gap discharge tests under negative switching impulses were carried out to characterize shock wave expansion behavior along leader channels. A high-speed Schlieren system was used to identify shock wave propagation characteristics near the high-voltage electrode. According to the Schlieren images, three distinct types of shock waves were recognized during the leader propagation and after the air gap breakdown: (1) spherical shock wave (SSW), (2) cylindrical shock wave (CSW), and (3) bow shock wave (BSW). To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time to recognize SSWs at the point where the space leader meets the main channel and BSWs along the leader branch after the main leader bridges the air gap. According to the proposed velocity calculation method, the propagation velocity of SSW and CSW was calculated as a function of the shock radius, as well as the shock wave head of BSW. Moreover, a transient magnetohydrodynamics model was developed to predict shock wave front propagation characteristics of both straight and bending channels after breakdown. The predicted shock wave propagation velocity and shock radius showed good agreement with Schlieren images.

Numerical Simulation of Multiphase Flow on Temperature Effect for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

There is a significant effect for the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cell with the liquid water generated in cathode channel during the operation process In this paper, based on the numerical simulation of three-dimensional and VOF model of multiphase flow, according to the different flow channel design and the change of different inlet temperature, the transport phenomena of multiphase flow in PEMFC is discussed at temperature effect. In U-shaped cathode channel with bump scale (h/H=1/4), a long water film is assumed to cover the surface of the gas diffusion layer at the entrance. Under the simulated oxygen flow conditions of inlet 200 Reynolds number, 4.4 Weber number and inlet temperature 333K, the water film heated is not obviously affected by oxygen flow from inlet channel to bend channel. Subsequently, the shape of water film is elongated and broken from outflow of bend channel to outlet channel. The computational results are obtained that the residual broken water film can be existed in the outlet channel. The flow field temperature can affect the residual flow rate of water film in the channel. The residual rate of water film in the hot flow field is lower than that in the cold flow field.

Development of a Parallel 3D Navier–Stokes Solver for Sediment Transport Calculations in Channels

We propose a method to parallelize a 3D incompressible Navier–Stokes solver that uses a fully implicit fractional-step method to simulate sediment transport in prismatic channels. The governing equations are transformed into generalized curvilinear coordinates on a non-staggered grid. To develop a parallel version of the code that can run on various platforms, in particular on PC clusters, it was decided to parallelize the code using Message Passing Interface (MPI) which is one of the most flexible parallel programming libraries. Code parallelization is accomplished by “message passing” whereby the computer explicitly uses library calls to accomplish communication between the individual processors of the machine (e.g., PC cluster). As a part of the parallelization effort, besides the Navier–Stokes solver, the deformable bed module used in simulations with loose beds are also parallelized. The flow, sediment transport, and bathymetry at equilibrium conditions were computed with the parallel and serial versions of the code for the case of a 140-degree curved channel bend of rectangular section. The parallel simulation conducted on eight processors gives exactly the same results as the serial solver. The parallel version of the solver showed good scalability.

Investigation of Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop in Microchannel Heat Sink Using Al2O3 and ZrO2 Nanofluids.

A new micro heat exchanger was analyzed using numerical formulation of conjugate heat transfer for single-phase fluid flow across copper microchannels. The flow across bent channels harnesses asymmetric laminar flow and dean vortices phenomena for heat transfer enhancement. The single-channel analysis was performed to select the bent channel aspect ratio by varying width and height between 35–300 μm for Reynolds number and base temperature magnitude range of 100–1000 and 320–370 K, respectively. The bent channel results demonstrate dean vortices phenomenon at the bend for Reynolds number of 500 and above. Thermal performance factor analysis shows an increase of 18% in comparison to straight channels of 200 μm width and height. Alumina nanoparticles at 1% and 3% concentration enhance the Nusselt number by an average of 10.4% and 23.7%, respectively, whereas zirconia enhances Nusselt number by 16% and 33.9% for same concentrations. On the other hand, thermal performance factor analysis shows a significant increase in pressure drop at high Reynolds number with 3% particle concentration. Using zirconia for nanofluid, Nusselt number of the bent multi-channel model is improved by an average of 18% for a 3% particle concentration as compared to bent channel with deionized water.

Piracy-controlled geometry of tide-dominated point bars: Combined evidence from ancient sedimentary successions and modern channel networks

Establishing critical comparisons between fluvial- and tidal-channel morphodynamics is a major goal in the study of coastal landscapes. Freely migrating meandering rivers are known to produce laterally extensive, sand-prone point-bar bodies which commonly exhibit width:thickness ratios up to 250. Meandering channels are widespread in tidal channel networks draining intertidal plains, where they exhibit planform dynamics similar to their fluvial analogues. However, tidal networks are characterized by a high channel density that likely hinders tidal meanders from migrating laterally for long distances without interacting with other channels. In order to better understand how the interaction between adjacent meandering channels controls the development of tide-dominated point bars, two point-bar bodies from the Eocene Castigaleu Formation (Spain) are investigated and compared with the geometry of a modern tidal point bar of the northern Venice Lagoon (Italy). The Eocene bars are characterized by a low width:thickness ratio (<30), interpreted as the result of premature deactivation of their parent-channel migration. Such deactivations were likely related to avulsive piracy operated by adjoining tide-dominated channels, and likely prevented the parent channel bend from depositing a laterally extensive, tabular sand body along its inner bank. This analysis is corroborated by direct time-lapse observations of similar dynamics in modern tidal networks, and from morphodynamic and sedimentological evidence from recent deposits of the Venice Lagoon. We conclude that, in densely drained tidal networks, meander bends often interact with adjacent channels, thereby triggering piracy events and premature channel abandonments that generate point-bar architectures distinct from those produced in fluvial meandering rivers.

Rarefied flow separation in microchannel with bends

Abstract