Flow Conditions Research Articles

Pyramid-Shaped Superhydrophobic Surfaces for Underwater Drag Reduction.

Superhydrophobic surfaces hold immense potential in underwater drag reduction. However, as the Reynolds number increases, the drag reduction rate decreases, and it may even lead to a drag increase. The reason lies in the collapse of the air mattress. To address this issue, this paper develops a pyramid-shaped robust superhydrophobic surface with wedged microgrooves, which exhibits a high gas fraction when immersed underwater and good ability to achieve complete spreading and recovery of the air mattress through air replenishment in the case of collapse of the air mattress. Pressure drop tests in a water tunnel confirm that with continuous air injection, the drag reduction reaches 64.8% in laminar flow conditions, substantially greater than 38.4% in the case without air injection, and can achieve 50.8% drag reduction in turbulent flow. This result highlights the potential applications of superhydrophobic surfaces with air mattress recovery for drag reduction.

Factors influencing seasonal chemistry patterns in Virginia mountain streams

AbstractThe relative influence of seasonal patterns in hydrological flow and seasonal differences in biological and geochemical activity on stream chemistry patterns is difficult to discern because they covary; temperate systems are characterized by lower mean flow in the summer (i.e. corresponding to deeper flow paths, elevated temperature, and biological activity), and higher mean flow in the winter (i.e. corresponding to shallower flow paths, depressed temperature, and biological dormancy). Using 2018 data, when seasonal stream flow conditions reversed, and two prior conventional water years, the relationship between monthly acid-relevant analyte concentrations and streamflow were compared within and between winter and summer to provide insight into controls on characteristic seasonal chemistry patterns at two mid-Appalachian sites with distinct geology (weatherable mafic and weather resistant siliciclastic). Acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) increased (1) with lower flow, in both seasons and (2) in summer, for all flow conditions. The compounding impacts resulted in a doubling of concentration from typical winter with high flow to summer with low flow at both sites. Base cation patterns tracked ANC at the mafic site, resulting in an ~ 60% increase of from winter with high flow to summer with low flow; distinctions between summer and winter contributed more to the seasonal pattern (72%) than changes in flow. Sulfate increased at the mafic site (1) with higher flow, in both seasons and (2) in winter, for all flow conditions, resulting in an ~ 50% increase from summer with low flow to winter with high flow; distinctions between winter and summer conditions and flow contributed similarly (40–60%) to the typical seasonal chemical pattern. The biogeochemical mechanism driving differences in stream chemistry between summer and winter for the same flow conditions is likely increased rates of natural acidification from elevated soil respiration in summer, resulting in greater bedrock weathering and sulfate adsorption. Findings highlight the significance and consistency of growing vs dormant season variations in temperature and biological activity in driving intra-annual patterns of stream solutes. This data set informs parameterization of hydro-biogeochemical models of stream chemistry in a changing climate at a biologically relevant, seasonal, timescale.

Analysis The Influence Of CSR, Cash Flow, And GCG On Dividend Policy In Consumer Goods Sector

Investors need information that can support their decision to invest, including analyzing the factors that influence a company's decision to distribute dividends. This research aims to analyze and explain the influence of CSR, cash flow and GCG on dividend policy in consumer goods sector companies listed on the IDX. The independent variables are CSR, cash flow, GCG, leverage, liquidity and company size and the dependent variable is dividend policy. Dividend policy is chosen as the dependent variable because it is used to determine the value of earnings per share to be distributed to shareholders. The data used in this research is secondary data sourced from annual reports of consumer goods sector companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (BEI) during the 2013-2022. The research sample was selected using a purposive sampling method , which was chosen because it allows for a more in-depth analysis of research subjects with specific characteristics. As a result, 13 companies were obtained as samples. The data analysis used for hypothesis testing is multiple regression analysis using E-Views software. The results show that CSR, cash flow, GCG, and liquidity as control variables have a positive influence on dividend policy. The study also indicates that leverage and firm size as control variables do not affect dividend policy. These findings provide significant implications for management in conducting CSR activities and considering the conditions of cash flow, GCG, and liquidity when determining dividend policy . Based on the results, the Adjusted R-squared value indicates that Corporate Social Responsibility, Good Corporate Governance, Cash Flow, Leverage, Liquidity, and Company Size collectively influence Dividend Policy by 31.33%, while the remaining 68.67% is influenced by factors outside the research model.

Anisotropy of surface morphology of carbonate rocks after reaction with acid

AbstractIn acid fracturing, acid is injected into artificial fracture to dissolve the rock, and the rock surface is shaped into the non-uniform morphology. This non-uniform morphology is the main cause of fracture conductivity after acid etching. The effects of acid type, flow rate, contact time and rock type on the non-uniform morphology of acid-etched rock surface have been studied. However, when the direction of acid flow is determined, the difference of dissolution characteristics in different directions of rock surface is not investigated. In this paper, acid rock reaction experiment and analysis of rock surface morphology after acid etching are carried out by using rock samples with flat surface. The difference of morphological characteristic parameters of rock surface in different directions under the condition of acid flow is discussed. It was found that the mean drop height, drop height range and roughness coefficient increase with the increase of acid rock reaction rate on flat rock surface. The morphological characteristic parameters of acid-etched rock face of limestone are greater than those of dolomite, which is conducive to forming acid-etched channels. According to the statistics of all experimental data, the larger average drop height of rock surface is distributed in the direction of parallel acid flow, the larger drop height range is distributed in the direction of vertical acid flow and other directions, and the larger roughness coefficient is distributed in other directions.

Effect of Fe2+-activated persulfate combined with biodegradation in removing gasoline BTX from karst groundwater: A box-column experimental study.

In-situ chemical oxidation with persulfate (PS-ISCO) is a preferred approach for the remediation of fuel-contaminated groundwater. Persulfate (PS) can be activated by various methods to produce stronger sulfate radicals for more efficient ISCO. Despite karst aquifers being widespread, there are few reports on PS-ISCO combined with Fe2+-activated PS. To better understand the effects of Fe2+-activated PS for the remediation of gasoline-contaminated aquifers in karst areas, a box-column experiment was conducted under flow conditions, using karst groundwater and limestone particles to simulate an aquifer. Gasoline was used as the source of hydrocarbon contaminants. Dissolved oxygen and nitrate were added to enhance bioremediation (EBR) and ferrous sulfate was used to activate PS. The effect of Fe2+-activated PS combined with biodegradation was compared during the periods of EBR + ISCO and ISCO alone, using the mass flow method for data analysis. The results showed that the initial dissolution of benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) from gasoline injection was rapid and variable, with a decaying trend at an average pseudo-first-order degradation rate constant of 0.032 d-1. Enhanced aerobic biodegradation and denitrification played a significant role in limestone-filled environments, with dissolved oxygen and nitrate utilization ratios of 59 ~ 72% and 12-70%, respectively. The efficiency of EBR + ISCO was the best method for BTX removal, compared with EBR or ISCO alone. The pseudo-first-order degradation rate constants of BTX reached 0.022-0.039, 0.034-0.070, and 0.027-0.036 d-1, during the periods of EBR alone, EBR + ISCO, and ISCO alone, respectively. The EBR + ISCO had a higher BTX removal ratio range of 71.0 ~ 84.3% than the ISCO alone with 30.1 ~ 45.1%. The presence of Fe2+-activated PS could increase the degradation rate of BTX with a range of 0.060 ~ 0.070 d-1, otherwise, with a range of 0.034-0.052 d-1. However, Fe2+-activated PS also consumed about 3 times the mass of PS, caused a further decrease in pH with a range of 6.8-7.6, increased 3-4 times the Ca2+ and 1.6-1.8 times the HCO3- levels, and decreased the BTX removal ratio of ISCO + EBR, compared to the case without Fe2+ activation. In addition, the accumulation of ferric hydroxides within a short distance indicated that the range of PS activated by Fe2+ may be limited. Based on this study, it is suggested that the effect of Fe2+-activated PS should be evaluated in the remediation of non-carbonate rock aquifers.

Experimental and numerical investigation of heat sinks constructed by anisotropic 3-D Turing patterns

Heat dissipation is a critical issue for various engineering applications such as electronic devices, turbine blades and batteries. Existing heat sink structures contained inherent shortages in geometric flexibility which prevented further development of heat dissipation technologies. This study proposed a self-organized design method for heat sinks inspired by Turing Patterns (TP) in nature morphogenesis. The biomimetic structures were parametrically controlled with the aid of reaction-diffusion equations in terms of feature size, feature density, structural morphology and structural orientation. The metallic selective laser melting (SLM) technology was adopted to fabricate the three-dimensional (3-D) heat sinks. Experimental and numerical evaluations were conducted to compare TP structures with traditional pin-fin (PF) arrays baselines. Results showed substantial advantages of the TP structures in regulating flow field and enhancing height-wise fluid mixing. The thermal performance factor (TPF) of TP structures is approximately 45 % higher than traditional PF structures with similar feature sizes. The globally averaged magnitude of height-wise velocities of TP structure is around 2.4 times larger than that of PF structures due to the existence of the threshold-like and bridge-like structures. With the aid of three-dimensional structures, full utilization of the coolant was achieved to further increase the heat transfer intensity, while a high synergic level was formed within the flow field and temperature field to reduce the pressure drop. The design method proposed in this study demonstrated strong capability in tuning three-dimensional flow field and is expected to provide new insights to the heat transfer area that faces nonuniform thermal conditions and inhomogeneous flow conditions.

Interfacially crystallized Enzyme@MOFs biocatalytic membranes for highly efficient synthesis of D-amino acids via continuously recirculating stereoinversion

D-Amino acids (D-AAs) constitute essential building blocks found in many pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. We herein presented the coating of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) hollow fiber membrane with L-amino acid oxidase (LAAO) embedded zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) layer by a single-step interfacial biomineralization strategy for efficient synthesis of D-AAs. The ZIF-8 skeleton and PVDF membrane structure not only guaranteed free enzyme activity and stability, but also reinforced the applicability of this bioreactor for continuous enzymatic reactions. By placing the prepared biocatalytic membrane in the constructed circulation device, only the L-AAs can be specifically oxidized. The D-AAs are accumulated and synthesized after multiple rounds of continuously recirculating stereoinversion. Impressively, using tryptophan (Trp) as the model molecule, the thus-designed bioreactor exhibited an excellent conversion rate (92.10%) and ee% (99.41%) of D-Trp with a shorter time under constant flow conditions. This study provides an unprecedented protocol for highly efficient synthesis of D-AAs, and immensely advances the promising application field of membrane bioreactors.

Evolution of liquid film in a crossflow tunnel: liquid film thickness measurement and effect of droplet impingement on film breakup

Abstract Liquid jet in crossflow tunnel has widespread applications in various industrial devices,
with the measurements of liquid film on the bottom surface pivotal in exploring relevant mechanisms
such as heat transfer and film breakup. This work reports the measurements of liquid film on the
bottom surface of a crossflow tunnel using the brightness-based laser induced fluorescence (LIF)
method under different flow conditions at ambient pressure and temperature. Film breakup
phenomena are observed downstream within the tunnel. Employing the shadowgraph method, two
distinct patterns of film breakup associated with the droplet impingement positions on the film wave
are identified, i.e., bag breakup and membrane breakup. The film thickness is subsequently calculated,
and jet impingement and spray impingement of injected liquid on tunnel bottom surface are classified
based on the centerline film thickness. A critical jet-to-crossflow momentum flux ratio (q) is determined to be proportional to the square of tunnel height. The averaged film thickness across the entire cross-section downstream at a distance of 50 mm from the nozzle is found to increase with the logarithm of q. Besides, the film boundaries are also identified under different flow conditions, which can be well predicted by a quadratic fit with the fitting parameters also correlated to the logarithm of q.

Acute effects of blood flow restricted aerobic exercise in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

This study aimed to compare the acute effects of aerobic exercise performed with blood flow restriction (BFR), a novel method to increase exercise gains, with blood free flow (BFF) conditions in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Fifteen individuals with T2DM performed BFF and BFR (40% of arterial occlusion pressure) cycling exercises 48 hours apart, at equal intensity (45% heart rate reserve) and duration (38 minutes). Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), blood glucose, heart rate, and muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2) were assessed before-after and during exercise sessions. SBP, DBP, and MAP in the overload phase were higher in the BFR group than in the BFF group (P = .009, 0.031, and 0.013, respectively). Changes in blood pressure (∆SBP and ∆DBP) were similar between the BFF and BFR groups (P > .05), whereas ∆MAP differed (P = .016). Changes in blood glucose levels and heart rates were not significantly different between the groups. Although SmO2baseline was lower in the BFR group (P = .049), SmO2min and SmO2max did not differ significantly between the BFF and BFR groups. The similar decrease in blood glucose levels between the groups suggests that BFR exercise is favorable in terms of hypoglycemia. The higher blood pressure observed during the BFR exercise remained within safe limits. These results suggest that people with T2DM can safely perform BFR aerobic exercises; however, further studies are required.

Numerical investigation on the operation strategy of a chemisorption heat pump system

ABSTRACT This paper presents an analysis of the operating characteristics of a chemisorption heat pump. 1-D transient model of a chemisorption heat pump was developed, for which an analysis of four alternating modes of operation was performed. The performance was analyzed with respect to the operating time of the adsorption and desorption operation modes during alternating operations, and the results showed that the cooling capacity has an optimum point depending on the operating times. It was also confirmed that the coefficient of performance increases as the operating time increases. The system performance was also analyzed according to the flow rates of the secondary fluids supplied to the main components. As the flow rates of the secondary fluids supplied to the main components increased, the cooling capacity improved, and the coefficient of performance was found to be compounded by the secondary flow conditions and the operating times of the adsorption and desorption operation modes. Based on the results, it was found that the cooling capacity, coefficient of performance, and specific cooling power of the chemisorption heat pump can be operated in a large range from 876.7 to 3070.0 W, 0.13 to 0.32, and 39.3 to 137.7 W/kg, respectively, depending on the operating conditions.

Impact of non-axisymmetric tip clearance on the aerodynamic and aeroelastic stabilities of a transonic compressor

The aerodynamic and flutter effects caused by the circumferential non-uniform tip clearances from the non-axisymmetric casing geometry, which are more representative of real operational conditions, should receive more attention. In this paper, sensitivity analyses on clearance and non-uniformity regarding rotor performance are conducted. The isentropic efficiency, total pressure ratio and stability margin of the rotor are reduced by 1.96%, 1.06% and 6.76% for an increase of tip clearance by 1% tip chord, respectively. The non-axisymmetric configuration reconfigures the interaction between leakage flow and mainstream in each rotor passage and alters the strength and influence range of the low-speed separation region generated by shock wave. The phase lag phenomenon observed in the aerodynamics of the non-axisymmetric layout also manifests in the aeroelastic effects but requires a larger phase shift at the maximum clearance sector, owing to the longer timescales for flow adjustment relative to the local tip gap considering the flow-induced vibration. Clearance sensitivity on flutter stability varies with the direction of the traveling wave: under forward traveling conditions, damping values initially decrease and then increase with increasing rotor tip clearance; while under backward traveling condition, blade damping linearly decreases with increasing rotor tip clearance. Additionally, variations in flow conditions and nodal diameters affect flutter stability by altering the position of shock waves and their work on the suction surface of the rotors. The mechanism responsible for unsteady flows induced by non-axisymmetric clearances from the casing ovalization on flutter stability is discussed for the first time in this paper, which can guide the industry to evaluate its impact.

Experimental evaluation of the flow field induced by an active vortex generators

This investigation examined the flow field generated by a ramp-shaped vortex generator (VG) that underwent active oscillation within a laminar boundary layer. The oscillations were applied through a servomotor, which pivoted the VG around its leading edge. The study evaluated the influence of varying the maximum VG height during the oscillations (h), actuation frequency (f), and the waveform governing the periodic oscillation of the VG. Planar particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements were conducted to estimate flow mixing and the drag induced by the VG. The height-based Reynolds number (Reh) ranged from 300 to 600, and the chord-based Strouhal number (Stc) for the oscillations varied from 0.67 to 3.33. The findings of the study indicate that active VGs lead to a greater wall-normal transport of streamwise momentum and result in lower drag compared to static VGs. Furthermore, increasing h results in larger momentum transport and drag of the active VGs. The investigation also revealed that the highest momentum transport and drag occurred when f was close to the instability frequency of the shear layer. The results show the potential of active VGs for separation control under various flow conditions.

A laser-induced superhydrophobic surface with multiple microstructures for stable drag reduction

To address the issue of water resistance in ship navigation, we developed a drag-reducing surface based on the microstructure of shark skin and a superhydrophobic coating. First, grooves with various microstructures were fabricated on the substrate surface using laser processing. Then, a mixture of octadecyltrichlorosilane, water, and silica solution was uniformly sprayed onto the grooved substrate surface to achieve superhydrophobicity. To enhance and stabilize the drag reduction effect, we optimized the width and spacing of the grooves by adjusting the laser processing parameters, achieving a high drag reduction rate under various flow conditions. In the Reynolds number range of 2 × 105 to 5 × 105, the drag reduction rate of the superhydrophobic coated surface with grooves reached over 66.57 %, which is an improvement of 7 % to 26.51 % compared to the superhydrophobic coated surface without grooves. Additionally, the oxides accumulated on the ribs after laser ablation can slow down the wear of the superhydrophobic coating, significantly enhancing the surface's mechanical durability. This simple and cost-effective surface provides a new approach for laser preparation of drag-reducing surfaces.

Rapid identification of back-flow in three distributaries of Jingjiang Reach, middle Yangtze River, China

Unusual back-flow events occurred in 2015 and 2017 at the near-mainstream ends of the three distributaries of the Jingjiang Reach, middle Yangtze River, China. It is presently challenging to precisely quantify back-flow discharges at river distributary ends where normal-flow discharges are measured chronically. This problem is more complicated at the ends of the three Jingjiang distributaries, each of which is more than 100 km long, and thus favors the generation of different back-flow forms. We use empirical formulae based on the Saint-Venant Equation and the Fall Index Method to quantify impacts on flow discharges at the two ends of each distributary of three key hydrodynamic variables: (1) water discharge at Zhicheng hydrological station, (2) total discharge from the four southwest tributary rivers, and (3) water levels at the two ends of the distributaries. We use the variable control approach to identify the contribution ratios of natural and human driving factors to flow discharges at the two ends of the distributaries during five historical stages. The empirical formulae provide reasonable results, with high values of correlation coefficients (R2 = 0.84 ∼ 0.98) obtained, demonstrating that the total water discharge from the four southwest tributary rivers is negligible. These formulae perform well in reproducing observed flow discharges at the two ends of the distributaries, especially the maximum discharges and cumulative volumes for normal-flow and back-flow events. Three charts are devised for different flow conditions at the two ends, from which back-flow events can be rapidly identified. Before impoundment of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD), riverbed adjustment caused by the lower Jingjiang Cutoff Projects and the Gezhou Dam contributed the most to flow discharge changes (≥50 %) at the near-mainstream ends of the distributaries. Afterwards, precipitation dominated (>60 %). In the future, back-flow events are expected only to occur at Mituosi (i.e., Taipingkou) and Nanxian hydrological stations, for which optimal reservoir operation and water resource utilization could remedy the back-flow crisis. Use of climate models and more advanced technologies such as remote sensing and GIS are recommended to enhance the reliability of predictions.

Integrated positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) and X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging of flow phenomena in twisted tape swirl flow

A combined positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) and X-ray computed tomography (CT) technique is presented, and its utility is demonstrated through investigation of flow in a pipe with twisted tape swirl insert with varying flow conditions (diameter-based Reynolds numbers 16,300–63,300). A description of this technique is given, as well as data handling practices used to relate geometric information captured by CT to fluid flow data gathered via PEPT. It is found that the CT component is readily capable of capturing the stainless steel insert geometry in this present system, but the use of combined plastic and metal materials leads to artifacts in imaging of the plastic surface. Nonetheless, CT data are related to PEPT flow measurements, and average velocity fields are calculated via a pseudo-framing and interpolation scheme and used to visualize and interrogate key flow phenomena within the system. Radial velocity profiles of the mean flow characteristics are seen to collapse to a nearly common form across all flow conditions considered. Helical vortices are seen propagating through the flow field, generated by bypass flow around the gap between the insert and pipe wall, with additional coherent secondary flow structures seen in the higher Reynolds number cases. These findings enhance the understanding of the mixing mechanisms in these swirl flows and encourage the continued development of PEPT-CT methodologies for 3D flow measurements in optically inaccessible systems.

Release of Contaminants from Polymer Surfaces under Condition of Organized Fluid Flows

The use of polymers for water storage or distribution is closely monitored, especially with regard to the possible contamination with substances coming from the material's surfaces. Different standards are practiced across countries according to type of applied materials and such test methods are prevalently based on constant temperature conditions. However, these polymers systems could be located in diverse environment which does not necessarily provide constant conditions. Experimental findings show that exposure of liquid inside polymeric materials to specific temperature gradients, and consequently to emerging organized flows, can result in an accelerated leaching of undesirable substances from the solid surface. In presented work model steady-state and organized flow conditions are used to compare release of contaminates from polyethylene by measuring of surface tension, UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, scanning electron microscopy and elemental analysis of polymer surfaces and water leachates. The pilot study shows that convective flow generated via temperature gradient significantly affects contaminant release in comparison to a steady state and mixing flow conditions.

A formulation of quantum fluid mechanics and trajectories

A formalism of classical mechanics is given for time-dependent many-body states of quantum mechanics, describing both fluid flow and point mass trajectories. The familiar equations of energy, motion, and those of Lagrangian mechanics are obtained. An energy and continuity equation is demonstrated to be equivalent to the real and imaginary parts of the time dependent Schrödinger equation, respectively, where the Schrödinger equation is in density matrix form. For certain stationary states, using Lagrangian mechanics and a Hamiltonian function for quantum mechanics, equations for point-mass trajectories are obtained. For 1-body states and fluid flows, the energy equation and equations of motion are the Bernoulli and Euler equations of fluid mechanics, respectively. Generalizations of the energy and Euler equations are derived to obtain equations that are in the same form as they are in classical mechanics. The fluid flow type is compressible, inviscid, irrotational, with the nonclassical element of local variable mass. Over all space mass is conserved. The variable mass is a necessary condition for the fluid flow to agree with the zero orbital angular momentum for s states of hydrogen. Cross flows are examined, where velocity directions are changed without changing the kinetic energy. For one-electron atoms, the velocity modification gives closed orbits for trajectories, and mass conservation, vortexes, and density stratification for fluid flows. For many body states, under certain conditions, and by hypotheses, Euler equations of orbital-flows are obtained. One-body Schrödinger equations that are a generalization of the Hartree–Fock equations are also obtained. These equations contain a quantum Coulomb’s law, involving the 2-body pair function of reduced density matrix theory that replace the charge densities.

Exothermic Characteristics Evaluation of the Pt coated α-Al2O3 catalyst in Bed for Passive Airborne Radioactive Material Reduction System under Forced Flow Conditions

After the severe accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, there has been heightened interest in the development of severe accident countermeasures. As part of these efforts, a passive filtration system capable of passive operation during power loss is under development.This paper focuses on evaluating the performance of a catalyst-filled bed designed to create a temperature gradient through exothermic reactions between combustible gases generated during accidents and a catalyst. The temperature gradient facilitates the formation of natural convection within the system, enabling passive operation. The catalytic bed is designed in a bed-type configuration filled with exothermic catalysts. To ensure physical and chemical stability under severe accident conditions, heat resistance tests were conducted using inorganic materials as a base to select an optimized exothermic catalyst. A test apparatus was designed for unit evaluation testing of the catalyst-filled bed equipped with the catalytic bed. Exothermic characteristics evaluation tests were conducted by varying the hydrogen volume fraction and face velocity, measuring heat generation in the catalytic bed under each condition. The correlation between these variables and the heat generation performance of the catalytic bed was determined. These findings will be utilized to inform the design parameters of the passive airborne radioactive material reduction system.

Extending the operational range of Francis turbines: A case study of a 200 MW prototype

Francis turbines are now widely used to support the integration of renewable and intermittent energy sources such as solar and wind power. Consequently, these turbines often operate away from their best efficiency point (BEP). Such operations cause detrimental pressure fluctuations in the runner and draft tube, leading to early fatigue failures. To address these harmful flow conditions and extend the operating range of Francis turbines, a mitigation system was developed and tested on a large-scale, high-head 200 MW Francis turbine. The system consists of four circular rods placed in the draft tube with variable radial protrusion lengths, adjustable using linear actuators. Pressure, accelerometer, and vibration sensors installed on the turbine allowed quantification of the rod system performance. The results demonstrate the system’s capability to reduce pressure pulsations by up to 80 % in terms of maximum pressure amplitude and 100 % in terms of fatigue cycle in both low and high-frequency ranges, up to ten times the runner frequency, based on pressure analysis. The optimal rod protrusion ranges from 5 to 20 % of the runner outlet diameter function of the operating load. The impact of the rods’ protrusion on the turbine structure appears negligible from the accelerometer measurements performed on the draft tube and spiral casing. The hydraulic efficiency is reduced by up to 1 %. These findings are significant across a wide range of part-load operations, from 40 % to 60 % load, indicating the potential to extend the operational range of existing Francis turbines. The research presented here is a novel attempt to enhance the existing Francis turbines with a new degree of freedom using protruding rods.

Simulation of the Effect of Hemolysis on Thrombosis in Blood-Contacting Medical Devices

Heart failure, broadly characterized by the gradual decline of the ability of the heart to maintain adequate blood flow throughout the body's vascular network of veins and arteries, is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Mechanical Circulatory Support is one of the few available alternative interventions for late-stage heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. A ventricular assist device is surgically implanted and connected to the left and or right heart ventricles to provide additional bloodflow, off-loading the work required by the heart to maintain circulation. Modern mechanical circulatory support devices generate non-physiological flow conditions that can lead to the damage and rupture of blood cells (hemolysis), and the formation of blood clots (thrombosis), which pose severe health risks to the patient. It is essential to improve prediction tools for blood damage to reduce the risk of hemolysis and thrombosis. A simulation-based approach examines the interaction between hemolysis and thrombosis. Incompressible finite-volume computational fluid dynamics simulations are executed on an open-hub axial flow ventricular assist device. A continuum model of thrombosis and the intrinsic coagulation process is extended to include the effect of hemolysis. The model accounts for the effect of activation of platelets by shear stress, paracrine signaling, adhesion, and hemoglobin and ADP released during hemolysis. The effect of hemolysis with thrombosis is modelled by accounting for the hyper-adhesivity of von-Willebrand Factor on extracellular hemoglobin, and the increased rate of platelet activation induced by ADP release. Thrombosis is assessed at varying inflow rates and rotor speeds, and cases are executed where thrombosis is affected by ADP release and Hb-induced hyper-adhesivity. It is found that there is a non-negligible effect from hemolysis on thrombosis across a range of rotor speeds, and that hyperadhesivity plays a dominant role in thrombus formation in the presence of hemolysis.