Inlet Design Research Articles

Comparison of hemodynamic features and thrombosis risk of membrane oxygenators with different structures: A numerical study

PurposeThe geometric structure of the membrane oxygenator can exert an impact on its hemodynamic features, which contribute to the development of thrombosis, thereby affecting the clinical efficacy of ECMO treatment. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of varying geometric structures on hemodynamic features and thrombosis risk of membrane oxygenators with different designs. MethodsFive oxygenator models with different structures, including different number and location of blood inlet and outlet, as well as variations in blood flow path, were established for investigation. These models are referred to as Model 1 (Quadrox-i Adult Oxygenator), Model 2 (HLS Module Advanced 7.0 Oxygenator), Model 3 (Nautilus ECMO Oxygenator), Model 4 (OxiaACF Oxygenator) and Model 5 (New design oxygenator). The hemodynamic features of these models were numerically analyzed using the Euler method combined with computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The accumulated residence time (ART) and coagulation factor concentrations (C[i], where i represents different coagulation factors) were calculated by solving the convection diffusion equation. The resulting relationships between these factors and the development of thrombosis in the oxygenator were then investigated. ResultsOur results show that the geometric structure of the membrane oxygenator, including the location of the blood inlet and outlet as well as the design of the flow path, has a significant impact on the hemodynamic surroundings within the oxygenator. In comparison to Model 4, which had the inlet and outlet located in the center position, Model 1 and Model 3, which had the inlet and outlet at the edge of the blood flow field, exhibited a more uneven distribution of blood flow within the oxygenator, particularly in areas distant from the inlet and outlet, which was accompanied with lower flow velocity and higher values of ART and C[i], leading to the formation of flow dead zones and an elevated risk of thrombosis. The oxygenator of Model 5 is designed with a structure that features multiple inlets and outlets, which greatly improves the hemodynamic environment inside the oxygenator. This results in a more even distribution of blood flow within the oxygenator, reducing areas with high values of ART and C[i], and ultimately lowering the risk of thrombosis. The oxygenator of Model 3 with circular flow path section shows better hemodynamic performance compared to the oxygenator of Model 1 with square circular flow path. The overall ranking of hemodynamic performance for all five oxygenators is as follows: Model 5 > Model 4 > Model 2 > Model 3 > Model 1, indicating that Model 1 has the highest thrombosis risk while Model 5 has the lowest. ConclusionThe study reveals that the different structures can affect the hemodynamic characteristics inside membrane oxygenators. The design of multiple inlets and outlets can improve the hemodynamic performance and reduce the thrombosis risk in membrane oxygenators. These findings of this study can be used to guide the optimization design of membrane oxygenators for improving hemodynamic surroundings and reducing thrombosis risk.

On the importance of fluidic manifold design and orientation on flow boiling instability in microchannel heat sinks

This study proposes simple modifications in the design of inlet and outlet plenum and inlet and outlet port orientations to suppress the instabilities in two-phase microchannel heat sinks. We investigate three designs which include small-volume inlet and outlet plenums, large-inlet small-outlet volume plenums, and small-inlet large-outlet volume plenums, at four orientations, i.e., upward facing horizontal flow (+0°), downward facing horizontal flow (-0°), and vertically aligned upward (+90°) and downward flows (-90°). The inlet-outlet port orientation is perpendicular to the plane of the microchannel footprint area. It is found that the large inlet plenum decreases the backflow of vapour for all orientations. An increase in the size of the outlet plenum in the upward facing horizontal flow configuration helps to accommodate sudden volume increase due to vapour to minimise the fluctuations/instability. Conversely, the opposite directions of flow and buoyancy force in the case of a large volume outlet manifold significantly increase the tendency of backflow of vapour for the case of downward facing horizontal flow and vertically aligned downward flow orientations. The study uses these insights to propose simple guidelines for the design of inlet and outlet plenum and port orientations to suppress the instability in two-phase microchannel heat sinks at high heat fluxes and under unfavourable orientations.

Understanding flow dynamics in membrane distillation: Effects of reactor design on polarization

Optimization and design of full-scale membrane distillation (MD) systems usually require Sherwood and Nusselt correlations that are developed from lab-scale systems. However, entrance effects in lab-scale systems can significantly impact heat, mass and momentum transfer in the reactor, therefore affect the accuracy of the developed experimental Sherwood and Nusselt correlations. Here, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations using OpenFOAM are performed to understand the effects of right-angled bends and inlet design on flow dynamics, temperature and concentration polarization in MD systems. Simulation results show that the presence of right-angled bends and inlets with sudden expansions lead to the formation of Dean vortices. Dean vortices enhance perpendicular mixing in MD systems and reduce both temperature and concentration polarization. Temperature and concentration polarization coefficients in MD systems with right-angled bends and inlets with sudden expansions vary significantly for the same volumetric flow rate. Our studies show that lab-scale systems with the same volumetric flow rate but different designs lead to significantly different Nusselt and Sherwood correlations. This study demonstrates the importance of CFD-informed design of lab-scale systems to minimize entrance effects and suppress Dean vortices for consistent model development and calibration across multiple scales.

Porous liner coated inlet duct: a novel approach to attenuate automotive turbocharger inlet flow-induced sound propagation

Automotive turbochargers generate high-frequency noise, especially at their inlet air duct, which has become a long-standing problem for both passengers and pedestrians and hence is required to be mitigated by provisions such as the use of absorptive materials and novel inlet duct designs. This paper proposes utilizing a thin porous material coating liner on the inlet duct of the turbocharger compressor in order to absorb the incident excitation and hence, broadband reduction of the flow-induced sound wave propagation. To this end, first, a sound-absorbing inlet duct model is designed based on efficient structural parameters. Then, three different types of absorptive materials are used as coating liners to analyze the impact of varying material properties on the acoustic absorption performance of the system. Meanwhile, a sensitivity analysis is carried out to evaluate the influence of coating layer thickness on the system’s flow-induced sound insulation performance. The research involves applying a finite element approach to conducting acoustic pressure and poroacoustics studies over the desired frequency range of human hearing (1–20 kHz). In this regard, sound transmission loss (TL) and sound pressure level (SPL) are investigated for the models with and without liners. The results indicate that sound-absorbing materials can be employed to significantly diminish flow-induced sound levels in the turbocharger inlet duct. According to the results, absorptive liners would considerably increase the maximum TL and lessen the sharp drop in TL that appeared in the model without liners at around 4321 Hz. In addition, the average TL has increased due to the replacement of valleys with peaks. The sensitivity analyses demonstrated that denser absorptive materials and larger liner thicknesses are associated with higher TL levels and better sound attenuation response. By adding 15 mm of rock wool liner to the designed inlet duct, the average TL and root mean square of TL were increased up to and respectively. The proposed design procedure of this study unlocks a fundamental approach that can be practically applied to many promising fields, such as aerospace and automotive engineering.

Multi-objective aerodynamic optimization of an axisymmetric variable-geometry inlet with a Mach 5 design point

The inlet is a critical component of the air-breathing system of an aircraft engine and an appropriate inlet design can address the issue of aerodynamic contradiction between low and high Mach numbers, restricting aircraft flight over a wide speed range. Therefore, in this study, an axisymmetric variable-geometry inlet with a Mach 5 design point was designed. A multi-point multi-objective optimization design, based on the Kriging surrogate model and non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II algorithm, was performed. Wind tunnel tests and numerical simulations were conducted to investigate the inlet performance and flow field details. The steady-state pressure distribution was recorded, and shadowgraph images were obtained simultaneously to comprehensively evaluate the inlet performance. The experimental and numerical results indicate that the design and optimization methods of the inlet are effective. The inlet operated appropriately and stably over a wide range of speeds, and the total pressure recovery (TPR) coefficient reaches 0.421 at the design point. The optimization results show that a 21.36% gain in the TPR coefficient at Ma = 3.0 was achieved at the cost of a 2.44% loss of total pressure recovery at Ma = 5.0. It is also beneficial in terms of the total pressure distortion at Ma = 5.0, which is reduced by 6.54%. This indicates that the inlet design and optimization framework developed in this study is promising for wide use in practical engineering applications.

Stratification and its consequences in two constructed urban stormwater wetlands

Stratification in constructed urban stormwater wetlands is one of the fundamental physical processes that affect hydrodynamics, transport and fate of stormwater pollutants. Adverse effects of stratification include decreasing pollutant retention capacity, causing the water at lower depths to become anoxic, degrading water quality and increasing stress on the downstream aquatic communities. The current study reports on a comprehensive field monitoring program of stratification and hydrodynamics in two ice-free seasons (May – October) in two constructed urban stormwater wetlands in Calgary, Canada, with different inlet, outlet, morphometric and vegetation designs. Despite their small sizes of 0.5 and 1.2 ha and shallow water depths of 0.8 m, stratification was strong and persistent in the wetlands. The response of stratification and mixing to atmospheric forcings (e.g., air temperature, atmospheric instability, rainfall depth, wind speed) and the impact of design characteristics (inlet/outlet design, water depth, surface area and aquatic vegetation) were examined and discussed. Thermal stratification, defined as a vertical temperature gradient >1 °C/m, was found to be significantly higher (up to ten times) near the inlets and last longer (up to twice) than in the main cells and the outlet basins due to the relatively cold summer inflows. The wetland with twice the permanent water volume and surface area and half the length-to-width ratio had denser submerged aquatic vegetation, higher (by up to 2 °C) water temperature and more severe (up to eight times) thermal stratification. Strong densimetric stratification and low wind stress on the water surface caused hypoxic conditions near the bed, potentially adversely affecting water quality and downstream aquatic communities.

Analytical solutions for vortex flow at the tangential inlet of a vertical dropshaft

Vertical dropshafts with tangential intake structures are often used in urban drainage systems to route surface flow into underground systems. Vortex flow driven by a tangential inlet is the typical flow pattern in the vertical dropshaft. However, analytical solutions of the key hydraulic transition from chute flow to vortex flow have not been investigated, and theoretical guidelines of the vortex dropshaft are not available. In the present study, a series of theoretical analytical solutions are proposed to determine the circumferential flow generated at the vertical dropshaft inlet. The contraction ratio of the tapering chute, dropshaft size, and flow depth at the joint section determines the vortex flow performance in the vertical dropshaft. Based on the free surface drop height, theoretical criteria are proposed to describe the spiral movement intensity in the vertical dropshaft. Systemic experiments for different vortex dropshaft models are tested, and the experimental observations agree with the theoretical analysis. The present investigation provides a general reference for a tangential dropshaft inlet design that can smoothly route rotational flow down a vertical dropshaft.

Influence of design point on off-design and cycling performance of compressed air energy storage systems-from key processes to the whole system

Compressed air energy storage (CAES) systems often operate under off-design conditions on account of their own characteristics and application environment, and off-design conditions have a great impact on system performance. However, the effect of changing the design point on off-design performance and the effect of off-design performance on optimal system design point are not clear. Aiming at the above problems, the off-design model of CAES with thermal storage (TS-CAES) system under multiple design points is developed. The coupling characteristics of off-design operation and design point selection in the compression/expansion process and the overall system are respectively studied. The relationships between the power, process exergy efficiency and guide vane rotation angle with the mass flow rate ratio, the design pressure and the design/actual thermal storage temperature in key processes are revealed, and the energy storage efficiency of the whole system under different application scenarios and different design conditions is obtained. Results show that in the overall system, the closer the compressor design back pressure is to the final pressure of the air storage device, and the higher the expander inlet design pressure, the greater the system energy storage efficiency. The best case adopted in this paper can improve the system energy storage efficiency by 2.35–3.22 %. Meanwhile, in the compression process, with certain actual back pressure, the compressor working in the low mass flow rate ratio zone can obtain the highest exergy efficiency. In the expansion process, increasing the inlet design pressure and decreasing the inlet design temperature can increase the exergy efficiency, but as the inlet actual pressure increases, the effect of the temperature on the exergy efficiency is weakened.

Integrated design and analysis of inlet and missile with two side layout

Abstract Based on the flow field characteristics of the missile body, an integrated design method for missile and inlet with two side layout is proposed under asymmetric inflow. The result of numerical simulation shows that shock waves hit on cowl lip on the symmetry plane at the design condition, which verifies the method of integrated design. And the flow characteristics of inlet under the influence of the missile body are analyzed. Under the influence of asymmetric incoming flow and missile body, the first shock wave surface of the two-dimensional inlet presents the characteristics of a three-dimensional concave surface, and there is a pair of asymmetric vortex structures in the inner flow path. Finally, a bleed cavity of self-adaptively adjusting bleeding by vortex is proposed to improve the performance of inlet and broaden the inlet start and attack angle boundary. The minimum Mach number of the inlet start is reduced from 2.8 to 2.3 at ɑ = 6° and the maximum attack angle of inlet start is widened from ɑ = −1° to ɑ = 3° at Ma = 2.1.

Intercomparison of in situ measurements of ambient NH3: instrument performance and application under field conditions

Abstract. Ammonia (NH3) in the atmosphere affects both the environment and human health. It is therefore increasingly recognised by policy makers as an important air pollutant that needs to be mitigated, though it still remains unregulated in many countries. In order to understand the effectiveness of abatement strategies, routine NH3 monitoring is required. Current reference protocols, first developed in the 1990s, use daily samplers with offline analysis; however, there have been a number of technologies developed since, which may be applicable for high time resolution routine monitoring of NH3 at ambient concentrations. The following study is a comprehensive field intercomparison held over an intensively managed grassland in southeastern Scotland using currently available methods that are reported to be suitable for routine monitoring of ambient NH3. In total, 13 instruments took part in the field study, including commercially available technologies, research prototype instruments, and legacy instruments. Assessments of the instruments' precision at low concentrations (< 10 ppb) and at elevated concentrations (maximum reported concentration of 282 ppb) were undertaken. At elevated concentrations, all instruments performed well and with precision (r2 > 0.75). At concentrations below 10 ppb, however, precision decreased, and instruments fell into two distinct groups, with duplicate instruments split across the two groups. It was found that duplicate instruments performed differently as a result of differences in instrument setup, inlet design, and operation of the instrument. New metrological standards were used to evaluate the accuracy in determining absolute concentrations in the field. A calibration-free CRDS optical gas standard (OGS, PTB, DE) served as an instrumental reference standard, and instrument operation was assessed against metrological calibration gases from (i) a permeation system (ReGaS1, METAS, CH) and (ii) primary standard gas mixtures (PSMs) prepared by gravimetry (NPL, UK). This study suggests that, although the OGS gives good performance with respect to sensitivity and linearity against the reference gas standards, this in itself is not enough for the OGS to be a field reference standard, because in field applications, a closed path spectrometer has limitations due to losses to surfaces in sampling NH3, which are not currently taken into account by the OGS. Overall, the instruments compared with the metrological standards performed well, but not every instrument could be compared to the reference gas standards due to incompatible inlet designs and limitations in the gas flow rates of the standards. This work provides evidence that, although NH3 instrumentation have greatly progressed in measurement precision, there is still further work required to quantify the accuracy of these systems under field conditions. It is the recommendation of this study that the use of instruments for routine monitoring of NH3 needs to be set out in standard operating protocols for inlet setup, calibration, and routine maintenance in order for datasets to be comparable.

Design and Analysis of Multiple Inlet–Multiple Outlet Piezoelectric Actuated Valveless Micropump for Micro Drug Delivery Application

Design and Analysis of Multiple Inlet–Multiple Outlet Piezoelectric Actuated Valveless Micropump for Micro Drug Delivery Application

Similarity Analysis on Two-Dimensional Hypersonic Inlets Unstart

The prediction of unstart boundaries of hypersonic inlets is significant to the engine control. To correct the previous conclusions based on the one-dimensional and inviscid flow assumption, the present paper numerically investigates the unstart characteristics of two-dimensional contraction ducts in viscous flow that vary with multiple controlling variables. Based on the newly defined dimensionless cowl length and effective internal contraction ratio, the similarity law of unstart is discovered. The universal empirical equation of unstart boundary for different cowl lengths, cowl lip heights, entrance boundary-layer thicknesses, unit Reynolds numbers, and Mach numbers is proposed, which can simplify the design of two-dimensional hypersonic inlets. With varying the dimensionless cowl length, three different types of short-cowl, transitional, and long-cowl unstarts are identified, owing to the different evolution mechanisms of separation region. The unstart displays a separation region growing under the streamwise pressure difference enhanced by the shock system or flow choke. In addition, the wall pressure criteria for unstart are correlated to the characteristic separation scale at unstart critical state and the dimensionless cowl length, which facilitates the unstart detection or early warning. It is observed that the Kantrowitz limit is close to the unstart boundaries for very short cowl and the isentropic limit is close to the unstart boundaries for very long cowl.

Structural and Heat Transfer Model Analysis of Wall-Mounted Solar Chimney Inlets and Outlets in Single-Story Buildings

Wall-mounted solar chimneys use solar radiation to heat the air inside the chimney cavity and use thermal pressure to create natural convection. Applying this principle allows for the indoor ventilation of a building without energy consumption. However, in wall-mounted solar chimney designs, different air inlet and outlet design dimensions can have varying degrees of impact on the effectiveness of wall-mounted solar chimney ventilation. In order to analyze the internal airflow state and airflow temperature field distribution of wall-mounted solar chimneys, physical models of wall-mounted solar chimneys with six different air outlet-to-inlet cross-sectional area ratios were developed in this research work. Before numerical simulation analysis, heat transfer analysis of the wall-mounted solar chimney’s structural components and airflow channels was carried out, and corresponding mathematical heat transfer models were established. The internal flow state and temperature distribution characteristics of a wall-mounted solar chimney were analyzed by steady-state simulations using the computational fluid dynamics software, Ansys Fluent. Finally, transient simulation calculation analysis was conducted under six different S-value models to investigate the variation in the natural ventilation of a single-story building’s wall-mounted solar chimney for a whole day. The study showed that under the same simulation conditions, 80% ≤ S < 100% effectively avoided the formation of vortices in the internal airflow of the wall-mounted solar chimneys and kept the ventilation effect of wall-mounted solar chimneys at a high level. The results of this study provide a reference for the optimization of research on the design of the air inlet and outlet structures of wall-mounted solar chimneys for single-story buildings.

Multi-objective optimization design of S-shaped inlet with internal bump

The multi-objective optimization design of S-shaped inlet with internal bump, considering both its aerodynamic and electromagnetic performance, is presented in this paper. The parametric design of S-shaped inlet with internal bump is carried out based on curvature control regulations, and the aerodynamic and electromagnetic characteristics of the inlet are obtained by means of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Forward-Backward Iterative Physical Optics (FBIPO) methods, respectively. Subsequently, the Multi-objective Particle Swarm Optimization (MOPSO) algorithm based on Radial Basis Function (RBF) neural network is adopted to optimize the inlet for better performance, and the performance of the two non-dominated solutions selected from Pareto front is compared with the original model and the single S-shaped inlet. The results show that the shape of Best-1 is similar to the original model, except that the middle control plane of Best-1 is closer to the throat. The aerodynamic and electromagnetic characteristics of Best-1 are improved, and the corresponding objective functions are reduced by 29.82% and 40.55%, respectively. In contrast, the Best-2 model has a higher center offset at the first S bending section of the duct, leading to a further improvement in the electromagnetic characteristics, and the electromagnetic objective function is reduced by 70.33%. However, the flow quality of Best-2 model is deteriorated due to the large deflection of the airflow, with the aerodynamic objective function increasing by 70.47%. Although the aerodynamic performance of Best-2 has been reduced, its value can still meet the design requirements. Therefore, due to the considerable improvement of its electromagnetic characteristics, Best-2 will be selected as the optimal solution.

A Shock Loss Reduction Method Using a Concave Suction Side Profile for a Zero Inlet Swirl Turbine Rotor

Abstract A zero inlet swirl turbine rotor (ZISTR) works with axial inlet gas flow directly exhausted from a combustion chamber without any upstream vanes. The suction side trailing edge shock of the ZISTR generates a significant amount of aerodynamic loss. A shock loss reduction method is presented for the ZISTR. The principle of the method is to replace the single shock by double shocks. For minimizing the shock loss, the strength of the double shocks is set to be equal. This is based on a design criterion that multiple shocks should be with equal strength to achieve the minimum shock loss. This design criterion has been widely used for supersonic inlet design, but it is first extended to the transonic turbine design in the present article. A shock model, using aerodynamic relations of oblique shock, is put forward to quantitatively determine the shape of the concave suction-side profile. Numerical simulations indicate that the concave suction-side profile induces a new shock upstream of the suction-side trailing edge shock, and these two shocks are with nearly equal strength in the improved ZISTR. The shock loss of the improved ZISTR is obviously reduced. The concave tip profile would redistribute the blade load on the tip and increase the tip leakage flow loss. Hence, it is suggested that the concave profiles should be designed between 0% and 80% blade span, and the tip profile should keep unchanged. The improved ZISTR with an unchanged tip profile achieves an improvement of turbine efficiency by 0.8% at the design condition.

Hydrological Considerations in Designing Roadways: Avoiding Hydroplaning

Safety on highways is essential, but high water levels on lanes risk that. Drainage structures are mostly concerned with water spread at sideways and ignore the build-up flow on the surface. This study addresses whether optimizing cross slopes prevents hydroplaning. Water depths obtained using kinematic wave equation were tested against several studies for verification. Wide range of rainfall intensities and cross slopes was tested. Findings revealed that cross slope optimization for grades up to 10% prevents hydroplaning for intensities below 250mm/hr with widths up to 15m. The study shows cross slope optimization must be considered simultaneously with inlet design work.

Integrated Design of Variable Geometry Chin Inlet with Waverider Forebody

Integrated Design of Variable Geometry Chin Inlet with Waverider Forebody

Model-Guided Development of a Semi-Continuous Drying Process.

With an increased adoption of continuous manufacturing for pharmaceutical production, the ConsiGma® CTL25 wet granulation and tableting line has reached widespread use. In addition to the continuous granulation step, the semi-continuous six-segmented fluid bed dryer is a key unit in the line. The dryer is expected to have an even distribution of the inlet air between the six drying cells. However, process observations during manufacturing runs showed a repeatable pattern in drying time, which suggests a variability in the drying performance between the different cells of the dryer. The aim of this work is to understand the root-cause of this variability. In a first step, the variability in the air temperature and air flow velocity between the dryer cells was measured on an empty dryer. In a second step, the experimental data were interpreted with the help of results from computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to better understand the reasons for the observed variability. The CFD simulations were used to identify one cause of the measured difference in the air temperature, showing the impact of the air inlet design on the temperature distribution in the dryer. Although the simulation could not predict the exact temperature, the trend was similar to the experimental observations, demonstrating the added value of this type of simulation to guide process development, engineering decisions and troubleshoot equipment performance variability.

Influence of Inlet Parameters on Power Characteristics of Bernoulli Gripping Devices for Industrial Robots

There is a wide variety of gripping devices with various parameters at the present stage of development of robotics. However, the existing literature about the power characteristics of pneumatic gripping devices does not provide any analysis of the different types of input parameters other than supply pressure and flow characteristics, whereas the input parameters completely determine the technical characteristics of the gripping devices of industrial robots. In particular, for pneumatic grippers, the input parameters play a crucial role in their productivity and energy efficiency. This paper fills the gap by providing a study of the impact of such parameters on the power and energy characteristics of Bernoulli ejection grippers for industrial robots, including: the parameters of the compressed air inlet design, the parameters of the fitting for compressed air supply, the diameter of the hose for compressed air supply, and the size of the vacuum zone. First, this paper presents the results of theoretical studies and finite element method for determining the distribution of pressure on the surface of an object of manipulation, which allows one to determine the lifting force of the Bernoulli gripping devices of an industrial robot. It is determined that the horizontal air flow to the capture chamber, compared with that of the vertical, should be used to ensure the maximum possible lifting force. Structures and constriction in fittings, which are used to supply compressed air to the chamber of Bernoulli gripping devices, are considered. Then, the dependencies of the influence of narrowing the fittings on the power characteristics of gripping devices are presented.

Flow models of perforated manifolds and plates for the design of a large thermal storage tank for district heating with minimal maldistribution and thermocline growth

Large water tanks are used as thermal energy storage components in district heating systems to store sensible heat produced by intermittent energy sources and to decouple the production of thermal energy from its demand. Good thermal stratification is crucial for energy storage efficiency, thus flow maldistribution and mixing of water layers at different temperatures should be minimized. This paper proposes an innovative internal flow distribution configuration for a large-size thermal energy storage, and develops new simplified analytical models for the choice of its design parameters. In the novel configuration, water is injected into (and collected from) the cap volumes of the tank by flowing radially inward (outward) through several small orifices of a peripheral toroidal manifold. Two horizontal perforated plates cover the full cross sections downstream of the manifolds and rectify the vertical flow, thus reducing mixing. Uniform perforation pitch was analytically demonstrated to be the most reasonable solution both for the toroidal distributors and for the rectifying plates. A 1D model was developed to predict the time evolution of the vertical temperature distribution in the tank. The turbulence-related parameters that could not be inferred from the existing fluid-mechanics literature were initially estimated with CFD simulations. The results of CFD-calibrated model were then compared to experimental data obtained from a full-scale large water-tank facility recently built in Brescia according to the proposed design. After a re-calibration of the exponent defining the decay of homogeneous turbulence downstream of the perforated plates, good agreement was found between measured and predicted vertical temperatures. With the novel inlet design, a thermocline of about 0.5 m is established immediately downstream of the perforated plate, and remains practically constant along time. The model is important to minimize and control the thermocline thickness so as to maximize the recoverable thermal energy, not only at the tank design stage but also to identify optimal loading and unloading protocols.