Inlet Channel Research Articles

Investigation on the influence of design features on the performance of dry powder inhalers: Spiral channel, mouthpiece dimension, and gas inlet

As inhaler design is rarely studied but critically important in pulmonary drug delivery, this study investigated the influence of inhaler designs, including a novel spiral channel, mouthpiece dimensions (diameter and length) as well as gas inlet. Experimental dispersion of a carrier-based formulation in conjugation with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis, was performed to determine how the designs affect inhaler performance. Results reveal that inhalers with a narrow spiral channel could effectively increase drug-carrier detachment by introducing high velocity and strong turbulent flow in the mouthpiece, although the drug retention in the device is significantly high. It is also found that reducing mouthpiece diameter and gas inlet size could greatly improve the fine particle dose delivered to the lungs, whereas the mouthpiece length plays a trivial influence on the aerosolization performance. This study contributes toward a better understanding of inhaler designs as relevant to overall inhaler performance, and sheds light on how the designs affect device performance.

Anion exchange membrane water electrolysis: Numerical modeling and electrochemical performance analysis

In this paper, a three-dimensional numerical model is developed for an anion exchange membrane electrolyser cell (AEMEC) with a double serpentine flow field pattern. The focus on the AEMEC is due to its benefits, including the solid membrane, inexpensive catalysts and membrane, and high stability. The effect of important operating parameters, i.e. cell temperature and cathode pressure, on the performance of the electrolyser is numerically modeled by considering different causes of performance degradation. The polarization curve, uniformity index, and the distribution of the hydrogen concentration, current density, temperature, and pressure in different operating conditions are presented. By increasing the operating temperature and decreasing the cathode pressure, the voltage of the elctrolyser decreases. Due to the higher concentration of water at the inlet of the cathode channel, more hydrogen is produced, and the current density is higher. The maximum current density and hydrogen concentrations are 7868Am2 and 0.898molm3, respectively, when the operating condition is set to the temperature of 343 K, the pressure of 1 bar, and the cell voltage of 1.85 V.

Long‐term drivers of shoreline change over two centuries on a headland‐embayment beach

AbstractShoreline evolution over the last two centuries was analysed for Dundrum Bay, Co. Down, Northern Ireland, using historical and recent shoreline datasets from 1833 to 2020. The area of interest comprises two sandy beaches and vegetated coastal dune fields, Newcastle–Murlough and Ballykinler, separated by an inlet channel which connects the inner with the outer bay. Twenty‐four temporal shorelines were extracted, and a quantitative assessment of their positional uncertainty was performed. This was combined with analysis of foredune volume variations by applying the Structure‐from‐Motion‐Multi‐View‐Stereo technique to 1963 aerial photography and comparing it with a 2014 Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) dataset to better inform on links between the sediment dynamics and the observed shoreline changes. Storm events were identified using recorded extreme water levels (EWLs) (1901–2020) and hindcasted wave data (1948–2020). In the first 87 years, the shoreline was largely stable, and change was focused at the inlet area. In the 20th century, localised retreat characterised the western (Newcastle–Murlough) sector, whereas the eastern sector (Ballykinler) experienced general shoreline advance. The rate and extent of shoreline retreat in the western sector increased post‐1997 in concert with accelerated accretion at Ballykinler. The strongest erosional episodes were recorded in 1920–1951, 1997–2005, and 2012–2014. Although no direct link was established between single storms and shoreline retreat rates, the three major retreat periods coincided with several consecutive EWLs or EWLs with a return period greater than 100 years. These were generated by storm directions ranging from south to southwest. The long‐term pattern of shoreline change points to a complex coastal system that is still evolving.

RENAL11: Novel Clog-Based Switch to Surveille Peritoneal Dialysate for Peritonitis

Background: Quickly triaging patients on Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) for infection is critical for patient-health outcomes. The best methods of detection, such as blood panels or sample culture, are not suited for quick point-of-care applications. The current detection method is by visual inspection of the fluid by the patient who looks for ‘cloudiness’ in the spent dialysate. Peritoneal dialysis, a type of renal replacement therapy for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), has a survival advantage for the first two years of use over hemodialysis (HD). Other advantages of PD over HD include higher patient satisfaction and lower costs. The main shortcoming of PD is the patients’ increased susceptibility to peritonitis due to the permanent catheter that provides access to the peritoneal cavity for fluid exchanges. The infection can create life-threatening situations for patients. Importantly, for most patients using PD, repeated peritonitis can result in peritoneal membrane failure, necessitating a switch to HD with its associated disadvantages. Preemptive monitoring is currently not available in clinical practice of PD. The current detection method is by visual inspection of the fluid by the patient who looks for ‘cloudiness’ in the spent dialysate. Progress has been made to reduce the incidence of peritonitis, but detection remains problematic. Methods: To achieve this goal, we have developed a novel switch to detect the presence of dangerous levels of WBC in spent peritoneal dialysate (see Figure 1). Since the sensitivity of a clog-based sensor is dependent on the permeability of its membranes, incorporating highly permeable silicon nanomembranes into a white blood cell detector will produce a highly sensitive WBC detector. Spent Dialysate from peritoneal dialysis fluid exchanges (spike the dialysate with varying amounts of WBCs) is pushed at 200 µL/min into the top channel with the top outlet open to the atmosphere. The inlet of the bottom channel is closed, and the outlet pulls at 100 µL/min through the membrane. If the membrane is clogged the transmembrane pressure (recorded for the duration of the experiment at ~0.5-second intervals) will increase. Results: We have preliminary data demonstrating that membranes with 4-µm wide microslit pores block the passage of WBCs while allowing all other cells and proteins in whole blood to pass. Figure 2 shows the pressure increase across the membrane when subjected to varying concentrations of white blood cells in spent dialysate. The slope of the pressure indicates the WBC count. The primary innovation comes from the use of microporous membranes as a fouling-based sensor; using membranes with pores tuned to be just slightly smaller than the size of leukocytes, we will see a change in the transmembrane pressure (under a steady flow rate) as the WBCs block pores which correlates to the WBC concentration.Figure 1. a: Schematic showing WBC-detection switch. Pressure transducers report pressure increase as cells clog the membrane. b: WBCs are drawn to the micropores by transmembrane flow.Figure 2. Transmembrane pressure slope correlates with the white blood cell concentration in the dialysate.

Performance superiority of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell with corrugated gas diffusion layer: A numerical study

Oxygen transfer to the reaction zone is known as one of the main performance limiting factors in Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs). The present study aims to improve oxygen transfer by converting the flat Gas Diffusion Layer (GDL) of an ordinary PEMFC to a corrugated one. The idea of GDL corrugation originates from the fact that it may enhance oxygen transfer by increasing the contact area between gas flow and the GDL surface. The results reveal that the GDL corrugation effectiveness increases with corrugation amplitude, but decreases with corrugation period. It is also observed that although the cell power increases with both operating pressure and the oxygen purity at the cathode channel inlet, the GDL corrugation effectiveness decreases with oxygen purity, and may increase or decrease with operating pressure. For the examined cases, the results show a power increase of up to about 4.08% due to GDL corrugation.

Experimental investigation of loop rating curve on a small 3D printed laboratory channel

The study of flood dynamics is generally complicated because it requires a lot of expensive sensors that might be inoperative when submerged during a flood event. Physical models can be helpful in order to get extra information on flood dynamics, but they are expensive in material, space occupation, and human investment (intervention, maintenance, assistance). The objective of this work is a feasibility study on the possibility of using a small 3D printed model to make hydraulic studies. For this we focus on the reproduction of a complex phenomenon which is the loop rating curve (LRC). In natural rivers or large channels, rating curve is a relation between stage and discharge. Under unsteady flow condition, rating curve may present a hysteresis behavior reflected by a more or less pronounced loop. LRC was historically observed on natural rivers or at large laboratory channels. This study is the first investigation of LRC on a small 3D printed laboratory channel. We measure stage and discharge at the channel outlet and we obtain rating curves as a response to an unsteady discharge hydrograph imposed at the channel inlet. We tested 11 scenarios corresponding to different flow conditions where we varied the following parameters: section control (freefall or weir), channel slope (flat = 0.1% or sharp = 10%), time step of the discharge hydrograph (5 s or 10 s). Our experimental results with a small 3D printed channel are in accordance with experimental observations on large channels or natural rivers, and our experimental rating curves are very well simulated by Jones formula that is classically used on large channels or rivers. These promising results allow the use of 3D printing technique to make small-scale hydraulic models. A further study of the rating curve, but also of other hydraulic characteristics can be considered on more complex geometries and more varied scenarios while paying attention to the scaling (which was not the case in this study). As real scenarios might be considered, this might be of interest from both a pedagogical and an application point of view with a reduced human, material and space occupation cost.

Optimal Design of Perforated Diversion Wall Based on Comprehensive Evaluation Indicator and Response Surface Method: A Case Study

To investigate the impact of parameters of diversion wall holes on the flow state in the forebay of a combined sluice-pumping station project and optimize the relevant parameters, a total of 50 numerical simulations based on the CFD technique were performed, adopting the design of orthogonal experiments with 25 schemes under self-draining conditions and pumping conditions, respectively. For synthesizing flow state evaluation indicators under self-draining and pumping conditions, the variation coefficient method was used, and the results were analyzed through the response surface method. Thus, the relationship between the parameters of the diversion wall holes and the comprehensive evaluation indicator was established. The steepest ascent method was used to obtain the optimal parameters, and the results showed that the optimized holes can balance the flow state under self-draining and pumping conditions in the combined sluice-pumping station project. Compared to the case with the diversion wall unperforated, the uniformity of axial velocity distribution in the 6# inlet channel and 7# sluice chamber increased by 6.6% and 5.2%, respectively, and the maximum transverse velocity decreased from 0.32 m/s to 0.21 m/s, with a fall of 34.4%. This study provides reference and technical support for the hydraulic characteristic analysis, optimization design and rectifying measures selection of the combined sluice-pumping station project.

Numerical Investigation on Flow Pattern, Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop Characteristics of Flow Boiling with Discrete Heat Sources

Heat dissipation and temperature uniformity are one of the key technologies for electronic equipment. With the rapid growth of computing demand and the wide application of multichip devices, heat sources are distributed discretely in space. Therefore, the flow boiling in the mini-channel with two discrete heat sources is investigated in this study. The effects of heat source distribution, inlet fluid temperature and channel diameter on flow pattern, heat transfer and pressure drop are discussed in detail. The results show that intermittent flow tends to form around discrete heat sources, especially near the heat source which is far from the channel inlet. Moreover, the distance between discrete heat sources shouldn’t be too close to avoid heat concentration, nor too far to make full use of latent heat. When the distance between two heat sources is 70 mm, the temperature distribution is appropriate, and the heat dissipation is the best in this study. For the discrete heat source far from the inlet, the heat transfer coefficient increases significantly when the inlet fluid temperature increases due to the preheating of another heat source.

Assessment of Thermal Performance of Non-Evaporative Cooling System Assisted with TEC Models at High Temperature Climate

In this work, a non-evaporative cooling system is used with an assisted thermoelectric cooler (TEC) devices module. The system was proposed as an alternative cooling system in the high temperature climate to overcome the high energy consumption of traditional air-conditioning compression cycle. The open source Open FOAM V.9 was used to solve the transient effect of 3D model of indirect non-evaporative cooling system. The primary air temperature was set to 319 . While, the air flow was tested under four different air inlet velocities: 0.75 m/s, 1 m/s, 1.25 m/s, and 1.5 m/s. the validation shows good and acceptable agreement in COP values of the system with both experimental and theoretical works from literature within an error between (12.9 % and 9.5 %). Results show that the temperate difference value on a slice through the length of the air channel starts to decrease as velocity increasing. For example, at the last timesteps of each velocity, the temperature difference reaches about (~10 oK) when velocity is (0.75 m/s) starting from the first quarter of the channel, while the same difference in temperature not reached until the half way of the channel from the channel inlet when velocity is (1.5 m/s). Revealing that even though the percentage increase in the velocity is about 50%, the change in the temperature difference value between the inlet and outlet of the channel is about 1.2%. The local Nusselt number shows that steady state heat transfer reached very quickly as the velocity increased (i.e., at 0.75 m/s at 12s while for 1.5 m/s at 4s). Notwithstanding, as the time processed the ( increases for all cases but becomes lower as the velocity increased. .

Experimental investigation on flow boiling characteristics in zigzag channels under different sloshing conditions

In order to reveal the effects of sloshing condition on the performance of the printed circuit heat exchangers (PCHEs), the flow boiling heat transfer characteristics in PCHEs with zigzag channels were investigated experimentally under different sloshing conditions adjusted by 6-DOF (six degrees of freedom) moving platform. The results show that, among the six sloshing types, rolling and heaving movements have significant effects. Rolling conditions always deteriorate the flow boiling heat transfer in PCHEs, with a maximal deterioration of 14.0%; the deterioration appears mainly in annular flows and worsens with the increase of the vapor quality, due to the non-uniform gas-liquid distribution in the lateral direction of the channel inlets. Heaving conditions always enhance the flow boiling heat transfer in PCHEs, with a maximal enhancement of 22.8% corresponding to the critical point of flow pattern transformation from slug to annular flow. Correlations for predicting the effects from rolling and heaving conditions are proposed with deviations within ±10%. The results will provide new data and correlations for optimizing the heat exchangers to avoid performance deterioration in FLNG platforms.

Utilization of Synthetic Steel Gases in an Additively Manufactured Reactor for Catalytic Methanation

The path to European climate neutrality by 2050 will require comprehensive changes in all areas of life. For large industries such as steelworks, this results in the need for climate-friendly technologies. However, the age structure of existing steelworks makes transitional solutions such as carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) necessary as short-term measures. Hence, a purposeful option is the integration of technical syntheses such as methanation into the overall process. This work summarizes hydrogen-intensified methanation experiments with synthetic steel gases in the novel additively manufactured reactor ‘ADDmeth1’. The studies include steady-state operating points at various reactor loads. Blast furnace gas (BFG), basic oxygen furnace gas (BOFG) and three mixtures of these two gases serve as carbon sources. The methanation achieved methane yields of 93.5% for BFG and 95.0% for BOFG in the one-stage once-through setup. The results suggest a kinetic limitation in the case of BFG methanation, while an equilibrium limitation is likely for BOFG. There is a smooth transition in all respects between the two extreme cases. The reaction channel inlet temperature ϑin showed a large influence on the reactor ignition behavior. By falling below the threshold value, a blow-off occurred during experimental operation. By means of a simulation model, practical operating maps were created which characterize permissible operating ranges for ϑin as a function of the gas composition and the reactor load.

Preparation and Analysis of Experimental Findings on the Thermal and Mechanical Characteristics of Pulsating Gas Flows in the Intake System of a Piston Engine for Modelling and Machine Learning

Today, reciprocating internal combustion engines are used in many branches of the economy (power engineering, machine engineering, transportation, and others). In order for piston engines to meet stringent environmental and economic regulations, it is necessary to develop complex and accurate control systems for the physical processes in engine elements based on digital twins, machine learning, and artificial intelligence algorithms. This article is aimed at preparing and analysing experimental data on the gas dynamics and heat transfer of pulsating air flows in a piston engine’s intake system for modelling and machine learning. The key studies were carried out on a full-scale model of a single-cylinder piston engine under dynamic conditions. Some experimental findings on the gas-dynamic and heat-exchange characteristics of the flows were obtained with the thermal anemometry method and a corresponding measuring system. The effects of the inlet channel diameter on the air flow, the intensity of turbulence, and the heat transfer coefficient of pulsating air flows in a piston engine’s inlet system are shown. A mathematical description of the dependences of the turbulence intensity, heat transfer coefficient, and Nusselt number on operation factors (crankshaft speed, air flow velocity, Reynolds number) and the inlet channel’s geometric dimensions are proposed. Based on the mathematical modelling of the thermodynamic cycle, the operational and environmental performance of a piston engine with intake systems containing channels with different diameters were assessed. The presented data could be useful for refining engineering calculations and mathematical models, as well as for developing digital twins and engine control systems.

Comparative study on bipolar plate geometry designs on the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Bipolar plates are designed to provide structural rigidity to Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) and contribute 80 % of the total weight of the cell. Over 40 % of the total cost of the cell originates from the type of bipolar plate used in the development of the cell. The present study draws inspiration from existing conventional serpentine and parallel channel designs in developing novel tapered dual serpentine channel (TDSC), tapered parallel channel design (TPCD) and the tapered dual maze channel (TDMC) in ANSYS Fluent. The results highlighted the fact that tapered inlet and outlet channel geometry designs had significant impact on the overall cell performance. That is, pressure build up within the cell, the velocity of the reacting species and even their distribution are largely influenced by the flow plate geometry design. There was 2.163 % increase in the current flux density magnitude for the TDMC fuel cell compared to the TDSC and 1.421 % increase in current flux density magnitude compared to the TPCD. 0.52 W/cm2 was recorded as power density for TDMC, 0.44 W/cm2 for the TPCD and 0.38 W/cm2 TDCS. The TDMC further showed 13.67 % increase in current density compared to the TPCD and 22.78 % increase in current density compared to the TDSC. These results corroborate with Bernoulli’s principle, that an increase in the velocity of a fluid results in a decrease in static pressure which in the case of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) lead to higher rate of reaction and easy dissipation of the product water. This phenomenon buttresses the justification for the increase in cell performance due to thermal and water management improvement. The outcome of the investigation also showed that the pressure drop in the channel geometry was lower in the case of the TDMC compared to the other types (TPCD and TDSC). Due to the improved pumping power of the cell, uniform temperature distribution and pressure, the maze channel geometry design showed better prospects for their application in the automotive industry. This study will, however, serve as a reference point in designing and developing flow plate for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell to accelerate its commercialisation.

An efficient microfluidic pressure sensing structure optimization using microcantilever integration

Microfluidic pressure sensors are extensively present in a wide range of applications such as wearable devices, drug detection, and many healthcare applications. Integrated microfluidic pressure sensors are highly desirable in many fields where it offers high sensitivity, non-toxicity, and high biocompatibility. In the present work, an integrated microfluidic pressure sensing mechanism is analyzed in a microfluidic device. The device is composed of poly dimethyl siloxane (PDMS) based material with a microcantilever of the same material integrated on one side of the microchannel. The pressure of fluid in the microchannel is measured by deflection generated on the PDMS microcantilever while the fluid is made to be drive-in. The pressure-based deflection measurement process is analyzed for different types of fluids and the geometry of microcantilevers. The designs for the microcantilevers are considered rectangular-shaped, T-shaped, and Pi-shaped cantilever. The modelling and analysis are done in the commercially available software tool COMSOL Multiphysics®. The results have shown that maximum deflection is achieved with a Pi-shaped microcantilever in fluid plasma (37.05 μm) and in water (30.98 μm) at 8000 μm/s fluid inlet velocity. This maximum deflection was found to be in cooperation with the pressure value at the channel inlet 125.1 Pa for Pi-microcantilever. The optimization is achieved for improved fluid pressure sensing with an integrated microcantilever, which reduces the device setup for fluid pressure analysis. The purpose of research and study is to control fluid pressure inside microfluidic channels, which can pave the way for efficient small setup cytometry and cell separation microfluidic devices.

An upper bound analysis of channel angular pressing process considering die geometric characteristics, friction, and material strain-hardening

In this research, an upper bound (UB) analysis of channel angular pressing process was carried out considering die geometric characteristics including die angle, thicknesses of the inlet and the outlet channels, radiuses of outer and inner corners, length of the outlet channel, as well as the length of initial billet, friction and strain-hardening of material, under cold conditions and for a billet with a rectangular cross-section. To validate the results of the UB analysis, the result of the analytical equations was compared with that of the numerical simulation and actual process. The results revealed that the total plastic strain and the process force were augmented by reducing the die angle, the outlet channel thickness, and the outer corner radius, as well as by increasing the inlet channel thickness and the inner corner radius. It was also shown that the process force increased with augmenting the initial billet length. A very good agreement was obtained between the results of the analytical method and numerical and experimental methods.

Research on the Effect of Geometric Parameters of a Six-Way Junction Microchannel on the Formation of a Double Emulsion Droplet

As a typical microdroplet, double emulsion droplet, has received much attention and been widely used in recent years. For a simplified double-cross-shaped microchannel, the process of preparing double emulsion droplets is numerically simulated in this paper. The mechanism of droplet forming was analyzed, and the effects of the angles of the inner-, middle-, and outer-phase channels of the microchip, length of the focusing hole, and expansion angle on the process and quality of the double emulsion droplet formation were investigated. The variation in angles between each inlet channel affects the droplet area; the change in expansion angle affects the flow pattern of droplets; the change in each geometric parameter affects the monodispersity of droplets. The droplet area is fitted to the microchannel geometric parameters and the functional expressions that represent their relationship are derived. The work in this paper provides a reference for the practical production and research of double emulsion droplets.

USULAN DESAIN STOPPER SEBAGAI ALAT BANTU PROSES GROOVING PADA PART SUCTION COVER POMPA SENTRIFUGAL TIPE Y DI PT X

Centrifugal pumps have a design consisting of an impeller rotor and an inlet channel in the middle. When the rotor of impeller rotates, the fluid will flow into the casing due to the centrifugal force. Suction Centrifugal pump casing is designed in the form of a diffuser that surrounds the pump impeller. This diffuser is more commonly known as the volute casing. In accordance with the function of the diffuser, the volute casing serves to reduce the flow velocity of the fluid entering the pump. The stopper is a fixture that is used as a support for the suction cover part during the grooving process. Stopper is used so that the surface turning results are not oval . Grooving is a process to form a groove on a workpiece by using a lathe or milling machine and others . To give the results of the groove surface on the suction cover, it is necessary to carry out a grooving process. The grooving process is used to smooth the grooves on the suction cover surface. However, because the diameter of the suction cover is quite large, an additional fixture is needed to support the suction cover so that it remains in an even position during the grooving process. The stopper is important thing in the process of grooving suction cover type E-100 50 with a spindle speed of 180 rpm. The dimensions of the proposed stopper are 155.88 mm long, 150mm wide, and 150m high. So this stopper fixture must be strong and stable during the machining process. The purpose of this paper is to propose a 3D fixture design during the process of grooving the suction cover E 100 50. This research was carried out theoretically using data machining and parts obtained during observation. Compilation of observational data in the form of images and strength analysis in 3 dimensions using Autodesk Fusion 360 software. The results of this study are divided into 2 parts, 3D design and strength analysis including von mises stress, displacement and safety factor. From the results of the simulation von mises in picture 8, it shows that the stress that occurs is 32.59 MPa at the most critical part. The critical part is the upper support section which is the center of support. From the results of the simulation displacement in picture 9 it shows that the change (displacement) in the design stopper maximum so that deformation occurs, which is indicated by a red color of 0.002668mm. Changes above 1mm the material will break. This shows that the shape and dimensions of the stopper are said to be in the safe category. From the picture of the results of thesimulation Safety Factor in picture 10, it shows that the value of the safety factor for a sufficient level of safety is 6.353. If it is less than the value of the safety factor, the material has been deformed or broken because the maximum stress is comparable to or greater than the yield strength of the material.

Impacts of environmental factors on Chlorophyll-a in lakes in cold and arid regions: A 10-year study of Wuliangsuhai Lake, China

The study of seasonal variations in Chlorophyll-a (Chl.a) concentration and its influencing factors is particularly important for lake management. The study showed that there was a strong non-linear relationship between Chl.a and environmental factors in spring and autumn, whereas there was a strong linear relationship in summer and winter. Chl.a was redistributed during the ice period, and its concentration in water generally exceeded that in the ice sheet. Characteristics of the ice sheet, including thermal insulation, transparency, and nutrient migration into the water, positively impact phytoplankton growth and reproduction. Therefore, there was no significant difference between Chl.a in winter water and Chl.a in summer water. Although there were differences in the environmental factors affecting the temporal heterogeneity of Chl.a over the four seasons, conductivity (Cond.) showed a significant linear or nonlinear effect on Chl.a throughout the year, indicating its important role in regulating the growth and reproduction of phytoplankton. Environmental factors driving the spatial heterogeneity of Chl.a included the location of the water inlet channel, the distribution of Phragmites, and hydrodynamic conditions. These findings are valuable for understanding the seasonal variation of Chlorophyll-a and preventing eutrophication and algal blooms in cold and arid lakes.

Using ANSYS Fluent Finite Element Method to Simulate Effect of Opening Angle of Argon Inlet Channel in Polysilicon Directional Solidification System

Using ANSYS Fluent Finite Element Method to Simulate Effect of Opening Angle of Argon Inlet Channel in Polysilicon Directional Solidification System

Improving the gravity-vortex micro-hydroelectric power station efficiency by ensuring an acceptable value of the water inlet canal’s twist angle

Micro-water energy is a promising alternative energy source that produces electricity in remote areas, separated from the main electricity grid. In this research work, the method of increasing the efficiency of gravity-vortex micro-hydroelectric power station operating in low-pressure water flows through the twist angle of the inlet channel of the basin is presented. Gravity-vortex micro-hydroelectric power station is a new modern green technology as an alternative or renewable energy source. The advantage of this method of electricity production is that it is possible to produce electricity at a low pressure, i.e. starting from a pressure of 0.7 meters. In order to increase the initial speed of the water entering the cylindrical basin, the flow fields of the water flow inside the basin in the range of 0-90 degrees of the inlet channel twist angle were numerically simulated using the ANSYS Fluent software. As a result of the study, the parameters of the influence of the flow velocity vector on the flow field were studied.