Bidirectional Flow Conditions Research Articles

On the local scour around a jacket foundation under bidirectional flow loading

Jacket structure is a new type of offshore wind turbine foundations with advantages for its lightweight construction, high stability, and suitability for various water depths. However, jacket foundations are often subjected to scouring caused by tidal flows, which can significantly affect the stability of offshore wind energy systems. Limited research has been conducted on the scour characteristics around the jacket foundation under bidirectional flow actions due to the structural complexity. To address this gap, this study performs physical model tests to investigate the effects of flow properties and foundation position on the scour around the jacket foundation. This study assesses the impact of a complex upper truss structure and finite pile height on scouring, in contrast to monopile and regularly arranged pile group foundations. It also analyzes the differences in scour characteristics between a monopile foundation and a jacket foundation subjected to identical bidirectional flow conditions. The impact of flow direction on the scour evolution is evaluated by comparing the scour characteristics under unidirectional and bidirectional flow actions with the same hydrodynamic conditions. The results indicate that the equilibrium scour depth increases with the flow strength and water depth, and reaching its maximum at a foundation angle of 30°. Findings are of great significance for predicting the scour extent around the jacket foundation.

Experimental Study on The Performance of One-Directional and Bi-Directional Flow Conditions Across In-Line Tube Banks Heat Exchanger

The one-directional flow condition and the bi-directional flow condition are two flow conditions that can be found in many energy systems depending on the nature of the flow and the working mechanism of the system. This paper reports the differences in heat transfer performance for an in-line tube banks heat exchanger that is placed in the one-directional and the bi-directional flow conditions. The experiments involve the use of a blower as a flow inducer for one-directional flow while a loudspeaker with a constant frequency of 14.2 Hz is used as a flow inducer for bi-directional flow condition. A quarter wavelength resonator with 4 mm wall thickness and a length of 6600 mm was used in the investigation. The results of velocity and temperature were recorded using a hotwire anemometer and a type-K thermocouple, respectively. Results show that the behaviour of velocity and temperature in one-directional and the bi-directional flow conditions over an in-line heated tube banks are different with a maximum difference of 52 % for velocity and 79 % for temperature.

Uni and bi-directional dewatering behaviour of open geotextile containers used for filtration of waste slurries

The simultaneous analysis of filtration mechanisms under vertical, horizontal, and bi-directional flow conditions has not yet been clarified for geotextile-dewatering involving different grain-sized slurries, therefore it is still not obvious which condition is dominant as particle sizes vary. In this paper, the differences associated to horizontal versus vertical filtration are investigated based on solids retention and effluent volume through the geotextiles. Three geotextile materials (two woven and a nonwoven) are separately employed for the filtration of three slurries with d50 ranging from 55 μm to 410 μm using an open dewatering unit. To facilitate the formation of a permeable filter cake on the inside of the geotextile surface, a range of particles with grain size distribution indicating internal stability was chosen for the slurries. The geotextile/slurry combinations targeted possible unfavorable retention conditions wherein only the particles of approximately the same size as the largest opening size of the filter could be retained (O90/d85≥ 1.0). A probabilistic model based on the geotextile pore size distribution curve and number of constrictions is added to the laboratory investigation to assess the geotextile retention reliability and confirms that for most cases slurry particles of all sizes can pass through the filters. Nonetheless, filtration efficiencies greater than 90% and control of particle loss are reached relatively fast for almost all experiments. In other words, it is a range of particles retained at the beginning of filtration tests that stimulates filter cake formation and governs further retention.

Experimental and numerical studies of one-directional and bi-directional flow conditions across tube banks heat exchanger

Bi-directional flow condition imposes different fluid dynamics and temperature changes compared to that of the usual one-directional flow condition. Bi-directional flow can be found in applications like thermoacoustic systems that offer a green technology for at least two major applications: refrigeration and power production. The technology is appealing as an alternative to traditional systems as it offers the replacement for the use of harmful working media and exhausted resources with the use of inert gaseous with relatively fewer moving mechanisms. As the fluid dynamics and heat transfer of bi-directional flow in a thermoacoustic working environment is less known, it is difficult to estimate losses and gain, especially during the design stage. This paper reveals the differences to be expected in the behaviour of flow and heat transfer through experimental as well as Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) results of one-directional and bi-directional flow conditions. Two different drivers were used to create the two different flow conditions: a loudspeaker for the bi-directional flow and a centrifugal blower for the one-directional flow. Both conditions were monitored based on flow amplitude that is calibrated between the two drivers. Results of velocity, temperature and, vorticity are recorded for Reynolds number that ranges between 270 and 1700. Analyses are supplemented with data from validated two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics models that were solved using the Shear-Stress-Transport (SST) k-ω turbulence model with second-order accuracy for all equations. Interesting features of differences in temperature and velocity changes between the one-directional and the bi-directional flows are reported. The temperature and velocity at upstream and downstream locations of the tube banks heat exchanger are almost the same for bi-directional cases but are significantly different when a one-directional flow is flowing over the heated tubes. In addition, the interplay between natural and forced convections is seen to affect the results that were recorded for the two flow conditions. The presence of thermally developing and fully developed regions is also discussed. The results indicate that the heat transfer behaviour of bi-directional flow is not the same as in the one-directional flow and the future calculation for heat transfer for bi-directional flow conditions of thermoacoustic must be carefully done with consideration of changes of flow conditions between the one-directional and the bi-directional flow conditions so that error could be minimized in the evaluation of the system’s performance.

Temperature and Velocity Changes Across Tube Banks in One-directional and Bi-directional Flow Conditions

Temperature and Velocity Changes Across Tube Banks in One-directional and Bi-directional Flow Conditions

Numerical study of ducted turbines in bi-directional tidal flows

ABSTRACT Installing a turbine in a duct generally increases the flow through the rotor. If there is flow confinement due to limited water depth, the presence of lateral boundaries, or the presence of adjacent turbines, a further flow enhancement through the rotor will be achieved. Extensive studies of ducted turbines in uni-directional flow have shown that rotor-based power coefficientcan exceed the Betz-Joukowsky limit (BJL) for bare turbine, whereas the exceedance of the BJL is rarely reported for duct-area-based power coefficient . In this work, CFD studies have been carried out for several flanged duct turbines with different duct geometries under bi-directional flow conditions. The actuator disc approach is used to simulate the rotor. The results show that a flanged duct turbine with an inlet-arc flap and a curved brim can achieve a maximum value of close to the BJL for flow from either direction while a symmetric duct turbine- gives maximum of about 60% of the BJL. The effect of the flow confinement on shows increases with blockage ratio and a little variation in the relative performance of ducted and bare turbines. . The findings pave the way for the realization of turbines with a flanged duct.

Pumpless microfluidic devices for generating healthy and diseased endothelia.

We have developed a pumpless cell culture chip that can recirculate small amounts of cell culture medium (400 μL) in a unidirectional flow pattern. When operated with the accompanying custom rotating platform, the device produces an average wall shear stress of up to 0.588 Pa ± 0.006 Pa without the use of a pump. It can be used to culture cells that are sensitive to the direction of flow-induced mechanical shear such as human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in a format that allows for large-scale parallel screening of drugs. Using the device we demonstrate that HUVECs produce pro-inflammatory indicators (interleukin 6, interleukin 8) under both unidirectional and bidirectional flow conditions, but that the secretion was significantly lower under unidirectional flow. Our results show that pumpless devices can simulate the endothelium under healthy and activated conditions. The developed devices can be integrated with pumpless tissues-on-chips, allowing for the addition of barrier tissues such as endothelial linings.

Multi-objective optimization design of bidirectional flow passage components using RSM and NSGA II: A case study of inlet/outlet diffusion segment in pumped storage power station

Frequent changes between inflow and outflow operations pose significant challenges in the design of bidirectional flow passage components with high efficiency and stability. In this study, hydraulic optimization of the inlet/outlet diffusion segment of a pumped storage power station was performed. First, a 3D-optimization platform was established for the inlet/outlet diffusion segment, and consists of parametric modelling, automatic mesh generation, CFD numerical calculation, and an optimization strategy. Three objective functions; the head loss, velocity uneven distribution, and discharge uneven distribution; were adopted to evaluate the overall performance of the inlet/outlet diffusion segment. Both dual- and triple-objective optimizations were adopted to optimize the shape of the inlet/outlet diffusion segment, the response surface methodology (RSM) was used to generate approximate functions relating to the objectives and design parameters, and the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) was selected to conduct the optimizations. The objective of the present study was to use a numerical optimization method to determine the optimal inlet/outlet structure configurations yielding better hydraulic performance with bidirectional flow conditions. The results show that with triple-objective optimization, the head loss decreased by 2.71%, velocity uneven distribution decreased by 21.05%, and discharge uneven distribution decreased by 2.24%.

A novel method for sampling the suspended sediment load in the tidal environment using bi-directional time-integrated mass-flux sediment (TIMS) samplers

Identifying the source and abundance of sediment transported within tidal creeks is essential for studying the connectivity between coastal watersheds and estuaries. The fine-grained suspended sediment load (SSL) makes up a substantial portion of the total sediment load carried within an estuarine system and efficient sampling of the SSL is critical to our understanding of nutrient and contaminant transport, anthropogenic influence, and the effects of climate. Unfortunately, traditional methods of sampling the SSL, including instantaneous measurements and automatic samplers, can be labor intensive, expensive and often yield insufficient mass for comprehensive geochemical analysis. In estuaries this issue is even more pronounced due to bi-directional tidal flow. This study tests the efficacy of a time-integrated mass sediment sampler (TIMS) design, originally developed for uni-directional flow within the fluvial environment, modified in this work for implementation the tidal environment under bi-directional flow conditions. Our new TIMS design utilizes an ‘L’ shaped outflow tube to prevent backflow, and when deployed in mirrored pairs, each sampler collects sediment uniquely in one direction of tidal flow. Laboratory flume experiments using dye and particle image velocimetry (PIV) were used to characterize the flow within the sampler, specifically, to quantify the settling velocities and identify stagnation points. Further laboratory tests of sediment indicate that bidirectional TIMS capture up to 96% of incoming SSL across a range of flow velocities (0.3–0.6 m s−1). The modified TIMS design was tested in the field at two distinct sampling locations within the tidal zone. Single-time point suspended sediment samples were collected at high and low tide and compared to time-integrated suspended sediment samples collected by the bi-directional TIMS over the same four-day period. Particle-size composition from the bi-directional TIMS were representative of the array of single time point samples, but yielded greater mass, representative of flow and sediment-concentration conditions at the site throughout the deployment period. This work proves the efficacy of the modified bi-directional TIMS design, offering a novel tool for collection of suspended sediment in the tidally-dominated portion of the watershed.

Residual fluxes of water and nutrient transport through the main inlet of a tropical estuary, Cochin estuary, West Coast, India.

Determining robust values for estuarine material fluxes has been a complex task and an interdisciplinary research challenge. With the advent of acoustic Doppler profilers (ADPs) having bottom-track capability and which provides three-dimensional current velocity profiles, more accurate estimation of cross-sectional fluxes is far accomplished in unsteady and bidirectional flow conditions of estuaries. This paper reports for the first time the discharge measurements conducted across Cochin inlet using ADP to examine the spring-neap variability in residual fluxes of water and nutrients during dry season. Cross-sectional current velocity profiles and salinity profiles were captured using ADP and conductivity temperature depth (CTD) instrumentation. Samples of surface and bottom water were also collected at 3-h intervals. The results indicated that there is a distinct transition from the neap to spring tides related to flow and salinity structure. The neap tide was partially mixed with large diurnal inequalities whereas the spring tide was well-mixed with symmetric tides. During ebb, an increase in the concentrations of nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, and silicate was noticed indicating upstream sources for their inputs. In contrast, elevated levels of ammonia were found in the estuary throughout the period of observation. There was net residual outflow during both tides, and the computed residual water fluxes of neap doubled that of spring. The strong ebb currents and the increased nutrient concentrations during ebb resulted in the export of all nutrients (except ammonia during spring) into the sea. The findings of this study highlight the consequences of anthropogenic interventions in the estuary and their effects on the fluxes of ecologically relevant substances.

The effect of periodic changes in wind direction on the deformation and morphology of isolated sand dunes based on flume experiments and field data from the Western Sahara

Sand dunes are shaped by the effect of wind on sand particles; consequently, their morphologies are strongly influenced by complex seasonal variations in wind direction. To improve our understanding of these effects we conducted flume experiments that generated periodically bidirectional and oblique flows, and found that dune topographies were controlled by two elements under these conditions. The most important factor was the angle between the two flow directions, which determined both the nature of change in the crest line following the change in flow direction, and the resultant topography. The second factor was the event duration ratio of the two flows, which influenced the curvature of the crest line. A new phase diagram of the morphological development of isolated dunes under bidirectional flow conditions is proposed, driven by differences in flow angle and duration. This diagram is in good agreement with data from a natural dune field in the Western Sahara where the wind regime is well understood.

Discharge estimation from H‐ADCP measurements in a tidal river subject to sidewall effects and a mobile bed

Horizontal acoustic Doppler current profilers (H‐ADCPs) can be employed to estimate river discharge based on water level measurements and flow velocity array data across a river transect. A new method is presented that accounts for the dip in velocity near the water surface, which is caused by sidewall effects that decrease with the width to depth ratio of a channel. A boundary layer model is introduced to convert single‐depth velocity data from the H‐ADCP to specific discharge. The parameters of the model include the local roughness length and a dip correction factor, which accounts for the sidewall effects. A regression model is employed to translate specific discharge to total discharge. The method was tested in the River Mahakam, representing a large river of complex bathymetry, where part of the flow is intrinsically three‐dimensional and discharge rates exceed 8000 m3 s−1. Results from five moving boat ADCP campaigns covering separate semidiurnal tidal cycles are presented, three of which are used for calibration purposes, whereas the remaining two served for validation of the method. The dip correction factor showed a significant correlation with distance to the wall and bears a strong relation to secondary currents. The sidewall effects appeared to remain relatively constant throughout the tidal cycles under study. Bed roughness length is estimated at periods of maximum velocity, showing more variation at subtidal than at intratidal time scales. Intratidal variations were particularly obvious during bidirectional flow conditions, which occurred only during conditions of low river discharge. The new method was shown to outperform the widely used index velocity method by systematically reducing the relative error in the discharge estimates.

A generalised function for modeling bi-directional flow effects on indoor walkways in Hong Kong

This paper examines the relationships between walking speed and pedestrian flow under various bi-directional flow conditions at indoor walkways in Hong Kong. The effects of bi-directional pedestrian flows are investigated empirically with particular emphasis on their effects on walking time for different directions of flow at pedestrian walkways in Hong Kong. Flow measurements were conducted at selected indoor walkways in urban areas. A generalized walking time function that takes bi-directional flow distributions (or flow ratios) into account is proposed for these pedestrian facilities and calibrated for various flow conditions ranging from free-flow to congested-flow (at-capacity) situations. The bi-directional flow effects on free-flow walking speed, effective capacity and at-capacity walking speed are validated with observed data. It was found that the bi-directional flow ratios have significant impacts on both the at-capacity walking speeds and the maximum flow rates of the selected walkways but not on the free-flow walking speeds. The findings and study methodology provide better insight into the effects of bi-directional pedestrian flow characteristics and will assist engineers/planners in improving the design and operation of pedestrian facilities not only in Hong Kong, but also in other countries as well.