Design Flow Rate Research Articles

Performance optimization for solar photovoltaic thermal system with spiral rectangular absorber using Taguchi method

Solar collector systems efficiently transform sunlight into energy that may be used to meet various needs. This research aimed to use the Taguchi method to determine the ideal operating parameters for a solar thermal collector with a rectangular spiral absorber. Controllable parameters including mass flow rate, solar radiation, and absorber design were manipulated during the energy recovery process, and features like PV temperature and outlet water temperature were used to assess the system’s effectiveness. The findings indicate that certain criteria significantly affect response indicators. The observed percentage contribution of absorber design, solar radiation, and the mass flow rate was 69.19%, 27.99%, and 2.83% in PV surface temperature. In comparison, the individual percentage contributions were 73.63%, 13.51%, and 10.57% for absorber design, solar radiation and mass flow rate for water output temperatures. The present model’s R2 values for PV and outlet water temperatures are 97.24% and 99.67%, respectively. The Predictive regression model was found in fine harmony and the maximum percentage error is limited to 0.68%. The maximum analytical electrical efficiency was observed with a spiral rectangular absorber of 14.57% at the lowest mass flow rate of 0.04 kg/s at the lowest radiation level of 600 W/m2. In comparison, maximum analytical thermal efficiency was observed with a spiral rectangular thermal absorber of 63.56% at the highest flow rate of 0.06 kg/s and the highest solar radiation level of 1000 W/m2. The analytical and experiment findings were in better agreement in this study, with the highest relative error of 7.52%. According to the study’s findings, the rectangular absorber-based PVT system is at its best at a higher mass flow rate to lower PV temperature and boost thermal energy recovery via water. The present research work can be extended for exergy, environmental, and economic feasibility analysis.

Numerical Study on Pressure Fluctuation in Electric Coolant Pump

Abstract Adjusting the flow rate of an electronic coolant pump (ECP) over a wide range can cause significant internal pressure fluctuations, leading to vibration and noise. This study uses numerical simulation to compare pressure fluctuations at the backflow orifice and within the impeller of an ECP at various flow rates. The backflow creates periodic disturbances in the impeller inlet region. As the flow rate increases, the axial influence range of the backflow on the impeller inlet decreases, reducing the amplitude of pressure fluctuations by up to 7.9%. The characteristic frequencies of pressure fluctuations at the backflow orifice include the blade passing frequency and its first harmonic. Within the impeller, the pressure fluctuation amplitude increases with both flow direction and flow rate, with characteristic frequencies encompassing the rotational frequency, BPF, and its first harmonic. At low flow rates, the overall variation of pressure fluctuations inside the impeller shows an opposite trend compared to design and high flow rates. The impact of the rotational frequency on pressure fluctuations inside the impeller is significantly smaller at the design flow rate than at other flow rates. This study offers insights that can help optimize ECP design and enhance their operational performance.

Influence of guide groove structure on in-flow drag reduction in spiral axial gas-liquid mixing pumps

Abstract With the onset of the fossil energy crisis, demand for oil has skyrocketed, and the spiral axial flow gas-liquid mixing pump has emerged as the primary piece of equipment for deep-sea oil extraction. However, at high gas content, the problems of separation of mixed media from hydraulic components, gas-liquid separation and gas phase aggregation are faced. The difficulties of gas-phase aggregation and bubble trajectory in the impeller channel have received much attention, while the problem of increased medium flow resistance induced by flow separation has received less attention. The spiral axial gas-liquid mixing pump is numerically calculated using the Eulerian multiphase flow model and the SST k- turbulence model in this work. The pump is designed with the design flow rate Q = 100 m3/h, rotational speed n = 4500 rmin, and head H = 30m by arranging guide slots with different relative depths and different number of slots to reduce the dissipative vortices, thus reducing the flow resistance in the 1/5 region behind the suction surface. The findings reveal that when the relative depth of the slots is 1/7 and the number of guide slots arranged is 5, the highest drag reduction rate in this location is 69.6% under the design flow condition. When the relative depth of the guide channel is1/7 and the number of guide channels is 3, the performance of the mixing pump is improved most, with an efficiency increment of 1.9% and a head increment of 4.2%, which can provide technical support for the flow resistance reduction of gas-liquid mixing pumps.

Experimental study on hydraulic performance and cavitation characteristics of a R134a refrigerant self-lubricating centrifugal pump

As the primary power equipment in pump flooding cooling systems, the efficiency and performance of mechanical pumps play a crucial role in two-phase cooling systems. A high-speed centrifugal pump with self-lubricating working fluid was designed with a speed of 7500 rpm and a flow coefficient of 0.0506. The hydraulic and cavitation performance of the pump were tested with R134a as the working fluid. The results show that the working fluid pump is capable of efficiently pumping R134a with an efficiency of 40.3 % and a head coefficient of 0.988 under the design condition. Within the tested range of inlet temperature from 5°C to 15°C, the flow coefficient from 0.01 to 0.105, and the height of the refrigerant tank from 1.4 m to 5 m, lower net positive suction heads available at the same flow rate will reduce the pump head, increase power consumption, and decrease efficiency. Increasing the pump speed from 3000 rpm to 7500 rpm can improve the pump's performance. At 6000 rpm, the critical cavitation number of the working fluid pump increases with the increase in flow coefficient. At 7500 rpm, the critical cavitation number has a minimum value when the flow coefficient φ = 0.0434. At the design speed and flow rate, both the critical cavitation coefficient and fracture cavitation number increase as the inlet temperature decreases. The inducer can significantly reduce the critical cavitation number of the pump. Finally, an empirical correlation considering the thermodynamic effects is proposed to predict the increase in the critical cavitation number.

Role of wall roughness on the energy performance for a mixed flow pump with tip clearance

Abstract This study delves into the intricate influence of wall roughness on the mixed flow pump energy performance, particularly focusing on the simultaneous presence of tip clearance. Utilizing a well-performing mixed flow pump with a tip clearance of 0.8 mm as the subject of investigation, the research employs numerical simulation at different roughness to comprehensively analyse the effects of wall roughness on pump head, efficiency, and cavitation performance. The numerical simulation employs the SST k-ω model and the equivalent sand-gain roughness model to simulate the turbulent flow account for wall roughness. The findings discerned that both head and efficiency are inversely related to wall roughness, with decrements amplified at elevated flow rates. Notably, the ‘hump’ in head performance near 60% of the design flow rate is significantly influenced by roughness beyond 31.6μm. Additionally, efficiency exhibits a minor uptick at 0.56μm roughness before a subsequent decline. The study also highlights the multifaceted impact of roughness on the internal flow structures, including vortex and cavitation patterns. These insights emphasize the importance of balancing roughness levels to enhance energy efficiency and cavitation resistance, crucial for the practical application and long-term reliability of such machinery.

Evaluation of stresses on the surface of production columns equipped with sand filters when downing into a horizontal well

Relevance. The need to estimate the time of formation sand accumulation near the annulus of a horizontal well and the unit length of filter elements in the bottom of production strings and to determine the stresses on the surface of production strings equipped with sand filters when lowering into the well. Aim. Based on a study of the reasons for the continued flow of sand into wells equipped with anti-sand filters, to develop and propose measures related to the need to choose a reduction in the number of filters that provide the design flow rate of a horizontal well or a significant increase in the length of the filtering surface of the filters in order to reduce erosive wear of the wire winding. Objects. We are considering a well with a horizontal section, equipped with sand filters, the same size as the casing strings. It was assumed that the integrity of the surface of the filter elements would be preserved and the conditions for their destruction would be eliminated when lowering into the horizontal shaft. This presupposes the necessary efficient operation of the well throughout the entire operational period. The section of the first set of curvature and the forces arising during this are considered as wellas stability of a pipe string during possible stops. Centralizers are evenly located along the length of the column, then in some sections we will have a multi-span statically indeterminate beam, in each section of which a radial load acts. Methods. When studying the time of formation sand accumulation in the annular space of a horizontal well and a unit length of filter elements in the bottom of production strings, it is necessary at the first stage to determine the stresses on the surface of production strings equipped with sand filters when lowering into the well. Studying the assessment of the existence time of the transition period is of particular interest. This is, in other words, during what operational period there is a complete accumulation of formation sand in the annular space and the transition of formation drainage along the entire length of the horizontal wellbore to drainage of only zones adjacent to the filters. To calculate the fluid flow rate when the annular space of the horizontal well is completely filled with sand, the design values ​​of the AC4.8 formation parameters were used. The maximum value of depressions used in the calculations is assumed to be 1.5 MPa. Results. Consideration of situations that arise when filters are lowered into horizontal wells indicates that the outer surface of the filter elements is not protected from destruction as a result of contact stresses with the walls of the drilled wellbore. To protect against destruction and rubbing open gaps by clay-containing rocks, rigid centralizers should be installed along the edges of the filter elements, the maximum allowable distances between which should not exceed 4.0–4.5 m.

Large Eddy Simulations of a Francis Turbine Operating at Ultra-Low Load to Overload Conditions

Due to the increasing global power demand, hydropower plants face the challenge of operating at flow rates far from their best efficiency point to comply with the electrical grid. Consequently, turbine units experience unstable high swirling flows under different load conditions, reducing the life of system components. Understanding the mechanisms behind the onset and sustenance of these instabilities in the swirling flow leaving the turbine runner is crucial for improving turbine performance. To achieve this, large-eddy simulations (LES) were conducted to characterize the unsteady flow inside an industrial-sized Francis turbine. The turbine was studied under a wide range of flow rates, 100, 80, 60, 40, and 120% of the design flow rate. A high swirl velocity was introduced as the flow rate deviated from 100% load, causing significant changes in the flow structure. An organized structure of vortex filaments in a helical pattern is seen inside the draft tube at 80 and 60% load, and the 40% load case showed an unorganized collection of small-scale vortices. A straight vortex cavity is seen in the draft tube center at 120% excess load. At the best design point, the magnitude of the swirl velocity was 0.1 times the tip speed. However, as the flow rate dropped to 40% of the design flow rate, the magnitude increased to 0.4 times the tip speed near the wall. In addition, the 40% load case had the highest magnitude of pressure fluctuations, over 25 times the peak design case near the runner. This showed a very unsteady flow field could damage the system or cause unstable operation at ultra-low partial loads. Generated power dropped dramatically as the flow rate decreased, and more noise was present in the power signal.

Design of a partial discharge shrouded impeller for the centrifugal compressor of supercritical carbon dioxide power cycles

In this paper, the concept of partial discharge shrouded impeller is proposed to enhance the performance of supercritical carbon dioxide (S-CO2) centrifugal compressor under low flow rates, thereby increasing the overall efficiency of the S-CO2 Brayton cycle. The influence mechanism of the partial discharge shrouded impeller on the flow behavior inside the impeller domain has been revealed by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. The results indicate a notable enhancement in the pressure ratio and isentropic efficiency of the S-CO2 centrifugal compressor utilizing the best partial discharge shrouded impeller, showcasing improvements of 0.9% and 10.2% respectively under designed flow rate condition, while the stability parameter (SP) surpasses 0 at lower flow rates when compared to conventional impeller. With the partial discharge shrouded impeller, the flow separation on the blade pressure surface tends to occur nearer the impeller outlet, restricting the wake secondary flow shedding off to the diffuser, thus the flow loss being weakened. Meanwhile, with the optimized compressor by employing the best partial discharge shrouded impeller, the efficiency of S-CO2 Brayton cycle has been increased by 5% relative to that with full discharge shrouded impeller.

Analysis of unsteady internal flow characteristics in axial pump with varying number of blades using computational modelling and vibration techniques

Axial pumps were extensively applied in many varying applications because of their large flow and low head. In this research investigation, the comparative analysis of the findings unveiled that the predominant source of hydraulic-induced vibration in the pump stemmed from pressure pulsations at the impeller inlet. Notably, similar patterns in amplitude were observed as flow rates increased. Furthermore, time-domain analysis confirmed that pressure pulsations and vibrations are highly correlated under high flow rates. Pressure pulsation's Frequency-domain analysis also revealed that it was a multiple of shaft frequency and changed from one multiple to three multiples of vibration. While analyzing the flow rate characteristics pertaining to pressure pulsation and vibration, it was determined that pressure pulsations at the impeller inlet had the potential to generate frequency components across a broad spectrum, encompassing both low and high flow rates, as well as their respective multiples. This phenomenon was particularly pronounced in regions characterized by unstable and high flow rates. Vibration ingredients likely influenced by pressure pulsation at the impeller inlet could be as low as design flow rates and as high as high flow rates. A vibration frequency with a multiple did not seem to be influenced by pulsating pressure at the impeller entrance. The present study focuses on investigation of flow behaviors in an axial pump with varying numbers of blades. It is an important geometric parameter that significantly affects the pump's performance. Therefore, the dynamic flow patterns in a pump, considering changed flow and impeller blade configurations, are investigated by employing the sliding mesh technique in combination with SST (k-ω) turbulence model. The numerical results exhibit a commendable alignment with the existing experimental data, enhancing the predictive accuracy of pump performance. Qualitative analyses encompass static pressure, shear stress, and various velocity components. Concurrently, quantitative investigations delve into pressure fluctuations and average pressure across a spectrum of operating conditions and impeller blade configurations. These comprehensive findings underscore the substantial influence of the impeller blade on pressure, velocity magnitudes radial, axial, tangential shear stress, average pressure within the system.

Configuration method for medium-deep ground source heat pump system considering renewable energy consumption and smart grid interaction

Medium-deep ground source heat pump (GSHP) systems have the advantages of low carbon, high heat exchange intensity, good thermal storage capacity, and intermittent operation characteristics, which are conducive to renewable energy consumption and grid demand response. The source-side parameters affect the configuration of underground borehole engineering, heat pump units, and other equipment. However, current research mainly focuses on the underground heat exchanger modeling, underground heat exchange, and system operation control, while there are few studies on multi-factor ground source-side parameter design and optimal configuration. In this study, the indicator analyzing the unsteady features and thermal balance state of medium-deep geothermal resources was introduced, and the source-side water temperatures were optimized based on the dynamic characteristics of the geothermal and building sides. A simulation configuration methodology for the source-side flow rate and storage capacity was developed considering the electricity prices, life-cycle cost (LCC), and grid interaction. The optimization of the ground source-side design temperature, flow rate, and capacity parameters of residential and office building heating scenarios were analyzed in northern China, respectively. The results showed that the borehole inlet and outlet temperature can be designed to 5.5 °C/17.5 °C under the annual sustainable state, and the optimal flowrate can be set to 65.77 m3/h, to achieve the lowest cost and highest heating season guarantee rate for the residential scenario. For the office building with optimal system and storage capacity, the average annual LCC is 192,000 yuan/year, with the cumulative peak shaving of 55.8 %, and an increase of 103.3MWh renewable electricity consumption.

Multi-objective optimization of a novel phase-change thermal storage unit based on theoretical modeling and genetic algorithm

Phase-change thermal storage technologies are becoming increasingly indispensable in the field of renewable energy, and researchers have been striving to achieve high thermal storage performance in storage devices. To enhance the application potential of phase-change thermal storage units based on micro heat pipe arrays, theoretical analysis is applied to optimize the operating parameters and the fin structure, addressing the research gap caused by insufficient theoretical analysis. Therefore, an accurate thermal resistance network model is developed, and machine learning algorithms are employed for the multi-objective optimization of the fin structure. The optimal heights, widths, and thicknesses in two directions of the fins are 42.2, 3.7, 0.3, and 0.8 mm, respectively, resulting in a 15.8 % increase in charging power compared to the initial structure without increasing metal consumption. Additionally, it is recommended that the design flow rate be increased by 26 kg/h for each additional thermal storage unit connected in series. Finally, a phase-change thermal storage device is designed for a solar water heating system, and its applicability is simulated and analyzed. This study provides design guidance for this novel thermal storage device and promotes its application in the field of renewable energy.

Influence of Impeller Structure Parameters on the Hydraulic Performance and Casting Molding of Spiral Centrifugal Pumps

In order to study the influence of impeller structural parameters on the hydraulic performance and casting moulding of spiral centrifugal pumps, this paper selects a double vane spiral centrifugal pump with a specific rotation number of 170 as the research object. The Plackett–Burman experimental design is used to screen the influencing factors, and the results show that the vane thickness and the impeller outlet width are the significant influencing factors. Based on this result, five different scenarios were set for these two key parameters, numerical calculations were carried out using numerical simulation software for each of the five flow ratio cases, and casting simulations were carried out for the model of each scenario using AnyCasting6.0 to analyze the influence of these two factors on the hydraulic performance and casting forming of the spiral centrifugal pump. It was found that in terms of vane thickness, a moderate increase in vane thickness improved the hydraulic performance at small flow rates, but an excessive increase at large flow rates led to a decrease in efficiency and an increase in the probability of casting defects. In terms of impeller outlet width, increasing the outlet width caused the design point to be shifted, leading to a decrease in efficiency at small flow rates, but an increase in efficiency when the design flow rate was higher. At the same time, increasing the outlet width makes casting defects more likely to occur at the blade and back cover joint than on the blade surface. The study in this paper clarifies the significant effects of these two parameters on the performance and casting quality of spiral centrifugal pumps, and provides guidance for the optimal design of spiral centrifugal pumps.

The Influence of Different Working Fluid Temperatures on the Hydraulic Performance of Magnetic Vortex Pumps

Magnetic vortex pumps are characterized by their high performance and zero leakage, and in recent years, they have been applied for the transportation of antifreeze coolant in varying-temperature environments. This paper combines Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) with experimental verification to study the external and internal flow characteristics of magnetic vortex pumps when transporting working fluid at different temperatures, considering radial clearance flow. The results indicate that as the temperature of the medium increases, both the pump head and efficiency improve. Specifically, under the design flow rate condition, the pump head increases by 16.7% when transporting a medium at 90 °C compared to ambient-temperature conditions. Conversely, the pump head is only 16.8% of that observed under ambient-temperature conditions when transporting a medium at −30 °C. Analysis of the internal flow field reveals that the changes in pump hydraulic performance at different working fluid temperatures are primarily due to variations in the vorticity of the internal flow field.

Spatiotemporal characteristics of flow in the bend and return channel perturbed by rotor–stator interaction

The flows in turbomachinery systems are strongly perturbed by the rotor–stator interaction (RSI) between the rotating and stationary through-flow components, generating the fluctuating flows. This work presents a numerical investigation of a flow in a test centrifugal pump system consisting of an impeller, diffuser, bend, and return channel at the designed and low flow rates. Both vaneless and vaned diffuser models are considered to determine the perturbation of the diffuser vanes on the flow. The objective is to quantitatively assess the impacts of two influential factors, i.e., the diffuser type and the flow rate, on the spatiotemporal characteristics of the transient flow in the various through-flow components. Particular attention is paid to the generation of the reversed flow, circulating vortices, and temporal fluctuations of the velocity field. It is found from the numerical data that both the flow rate and the diffuser type affect the temporal fluctuations of the flow, primarily via the impact of the RSI-induced large-scale vortices generated in the passages of the impeller and the vaned diffuser. The flow in the bend experiences the streamline curvature on the solid walls; thus, the peak values of the fluctuating amplitude of the streamwise and transverse velocities and the reversed flow may shift between the two halves of the channel close to the inner and outer wall. The boundary layer flow patterns are mainly determined by the flow rate at the low flow rate and by the diffuser vanes at the designed flow rate. This work comprehensively reveals the transient behaviors and unsteadiness of the flow which was not provided in the experimental investigation for the test centrifugal pump system which was widely studied since the essential flow physics are included. The numerical data in the stationary bend and return channel are first provided, which are of engineering significance for this type of centrifugal turbomachinery.

Investigation of flow-induced sound source generation in a centrifugal pump

Abstract This study investigates the mechanism of sound source generation in a centrifugal pump under different flow conditions. The calculated results are in good agreement with experimental data by employing the delayed detached eddy simulation and flow-acoustic coupling method to compute the flow-induced noise. Based on the vortex sound theory and vorticity binary decomposition, the sound source (STA) is divided into a shear-induced source (STS) and a rigid rotation-induced source (STR). The results show that the sound source induced by shear is the main factor. The fluctuation amplitude of STS can be nine times larger than STR at monitor point near the tongue under the design flow rate condition. There is a mutual cancellation effect between the STS and STR. The fluctuation amplitude of STA at the blade passing frequency is 86% of STS at monitor point near the tongue under high flow rate conditions, indicating that sometimes rigid rotation can suppress noise generation.

A facile design of porous heat sink optimized thermodynamically for thermo-hydraulic performance

Implementing active cooling through micro-channel heat sinks integrated with printed circuit heat exchangers demands a simultaneous enhancement of thermal and hydraulic performance, all while avoiding complex designs for ease of fabrication. We propose a porous wall embedded double-layered micro-channel heat sink, aiming to decrease the necessary pumping powers while maintaining a minimal impact on the heat transfer rate. Additionally, this design simplifies geometric complexities, enhancing ease of fabrication. We assessed the feasibility of different porous embedded double-layered micro-channel heat sink configurations by evaluating their thermal and hydraulic performance. Our analysis uniquely integrates the principles of the second law of thermodynamics with traditional first law analysis, providing novel insights into heat sink design. We discovered that configuring porous walls solely in the top layer of the double-layered micro-channel heat sink is the only viable option. Furthermore, our analysis reveals that embedding porous walls exclusively in the top layer reduces irreversibility due to frictional losses by 9.13 %, with a slight increase in irreversibility due to heat transfer by 1.55 %, in comparison to the solid double-layered micro-channel heat sink at a flow rate of 1000 ml/min. Moreover, at the same flow rate, compared to configuration with porous walls in both layers, the top layer configuration exhibits improved thermal performance by 17.28 %. Next, we demonstrate that while the first law analysis indicates the viability of the top porous configuration, the second law analysis limits its viability to a certain coolant flow rate range. Finally, we optimize the heat sink design and coolant flow rates, proposing a viable design by simply incorporating porous walls in only the top layer of double layered micro-channel heat sink, which otherwise proved to be non-viable.

Numerical and experimental analysis of the cavitation and flow characteristics in liquid nitrogen submersible pump

In this paper, the cavitation and flow characteristics of the unsteady liquid nitrogen (LN2) cavitating flow in a submersible pump are investigated through both experimental and numerical approaches. The performance curve of the LN2 submersible pump is obtained via experimental measurement. Numerical simulations are performed using a modified shear stress transport k–ω turbulence model, incorporating corrections for rotation and thermal effects as per the Schnerr–Sauer cavitation model. The numerical framework is verified by comparing the cavitation morphology features with previously reported visual data of the LN2 inducer and aligning pump performance data with those obtained from experimental tests of the LN2 submersible pump. The results indicate that cavitation at the designed flow rate predominantly manifests as tip clearance vortex cavitation in the inducer. Increased flow rates exacerbate cavitation, potentially obstructing the flow passage of the impeller. The vortex identification method and the vorticity transport equation are employed to identify the vortex structures and analyze the interaction between cavitation and vortices in the unsteady LN2 cavitating flow. The vortex structures primarily concentrate at the outlet of the impeller flow passage, largely attributed to the vortex dilation term and baroclinic torque. The influence of thermal effects on the cavitation flow of submersible pumps is analyzed. An entropy production analysis model, comprehensively involving various contributing factors, is proposed and utilized to accurately predict the entropy production rate within the pump. This study not only offers an effective numerical approach but also provides valuable insight into the cavitation flow characteristics of the LN2 submersible pump.

Efficient electrosynthesis of HO2- from air for sulfide control in sewers

Electrochemically in-situ generation of oxygen and caustic soda is promising for sulfide management while suffers from scaling, poor inactivating capacity, hydrogen release and ammonia escape. In this study, the four-compartment electrochemical cell efficiently captured oxygen molecules from the air chamber to produce HO2- without generating toxic by-products. Meanwhile, the catalyst layer surface of PTFE/CB-GDE maintained a relatively balanced gas-liquid micro-environment, enabling the formation of enduring solid-liquid-gas interfaces for efficient HO2- electrosynthesis. A dramatic increase in HO2- generation rate from 453.3 mg L-1 h-1 to 575.4 mg L-1 h-1 was attained by advancement in operation parameters design (flow channels, electrolyte types, flow rates and circulation types). Stability testing resulted in the HO2- generation rate over 15 g L-1 and the current efficiency (CE) exceeding 85%, indicating a robust stable operational capacity. Furthermore, after 120 mg L-1 HO2- treatment, an increase of 11.1% in necrotic and apoptotic cells in the sewer biofilm was observed, higher than that achieved with the addition of NaOH, H2O2 method. The in-situ electrosynthesis strategy for HO2- represents a significance toward the practical implementation of sulfide abatement in sewers, holding the potential to treat various sulfide-containing wastewater.

In-silico method development and optimization of on-line comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography via a shortcut model

Comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography (LCxLC) represents a valuable alternative to conventional single column, or one-dimensional, liquid chromatography (1D-LC) for resolving multiple components in a complex mixture in a short time. However, developing LCxLC methods with trial-and-error experiments is challenging and time-consuming, which is why the technique is not dominant despite its significant potential. This work presents a novel shortcut model to in-silico predicting retention time and peak width within an RPLCxRPLC separation system (i.e., LCxLC systems that use reversed-phase columns (RPLC) in both separation dimensions). Our computationally effective model uses the hydrophobic-subtraction model (HSM) to predict retention and considers limitations due to the sample volume, undersampling and the maximum pressure drop. The shortcut model is used in a two-step strategy for sample-dependent optimization of RPLCxRPLC separation systems. In the first step, the Kendall's correlation coefficient of all possible combinations of available columns is evaluated, and the best column pair is selected accordingly. In the second step, the optimal values of design variables, flow rate, pH and sample loop volume, are obtained via multi-objective stochastic optimization. The strategy is applied to method development for the separation of 8, 12 and 16 component mixtures. It is shown that the proposed strategy provides an easy way to accelerate method development for full-comprehensive 2D-LC systems as it does not require any experimental campaign and an entire optimization run can take less than two minutes.

Application of a new DES model based on Wray-Agarwal turbulence model in flow simulation of a mixed-flow pump

In recent years, it has been demonstrated for many two- and three-dimensional external and internal turbulent flows that the one-equation Wray-Agarwal turbulence model can compute the complex turbulent flow fields with high computational accuracy, excellent computational convergence and efficiency. In this paper, Wray-Agarwal (WA) turbulence model is employed as part of a detached eddy simulation (DES) method to predict the performance of a mixed-flow pump. By comparing the computations with the experimental results, the differences and similarities between the WA-DES model and the Shear Stress Transfer (SST) k-ω model in predicting the internal and external flow characteristics of the pump are analyzed. The results show that both the SST k-ω model and the WA-DES model can reasonably predict the performance of the pump between 0.6 Q and 1.2 Q, where Q is the design flow rate; however, they have their own merits and deficiencies in predicting head and efficiency of the pump at low and high flow rates. For the velocity field in the rotor-stator interaction region, the WA-DES model shows better prediction accuracy since it can accurately predict the large-scale recirculating vortex structure at the inlet of the guide vane. The SST k-ω model over-predicts the separated flow region, which leads to the emergence of a small vortex structure before the backflow region of the pump. Although the turbulent eddy viscosity predicted by the WA-DES model is higher than that of the SST k-ω model and there is small difference in the results for the scale of the tip leakage vortex (TLV) between the two models, the overall simulation results of the WA-DES model for the high turbulent viscosity region and the pressure increase in the impeller are consistent with the SST k-ω model results. The results of this paper demonstrate the potential of WA-DES model for prediction of flows in pumps.