Lateral Pressure Gradient Research Articles

Dynamic Simulation of Rock‐Avalanche Fragmentation

AbstractFragmentation is a common phenomenon in complex rock‐avalanches. The fragmentation intensity and process determines exceptional spreading of such mass movements. However, studies focusing on the simulation of fragmentation are still limited and no operational dynamic simulation model of fragmentation has been proposed yet. By enhancing the mechanically controlled landslide deformation model (Pudasaini & Mergili, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023jf007466), we propose a novel, unified dynamic simulation method for rock‐avalanche fragmentation. The model includes three important aspects: mechanically controlled rock mass deformation, momentum loss while the rock mass fiercely impacts the ground, and the energy transfer during fragmentation resulting in the generation of dispersive lateral pressure. We reveal that the dynamic fragmentation, resulting from the overcoming of the tensile strength by the impact on the ground, leads to enhanced spreading, thinning, run‐out and hypermobility of rock‐avalanches. Thereby, the elastic strain energy release caused by fragmentation becomes an important process. Energy conversion between the front and rear parts caused by the fragmentation results in the enhanced forward movement of the front and hindered motion of the rear of the rock‐avalanche. The new model describes this by amplifying the lateral pressure gradient in the opposite direction: enhanced for the frontal particles and reduced for the rear particles after the fragmentation. The main principle is the switching between the compressional stress and the tensile stress, and therefore from the controlled deformation to substantial spreading of the frontal part in the flow direction while backward stretching of the rear part of the rock mass. Laboratory experiments and field events support our simulation results.

Improved Design Method for Hypersonic Intakes Using Pressure-Corrected Osculating Axisymmetric Flows Method

The efficient design of air intake is crucial for high-speed airbreathing propulsion systems. This paper presents a novel design method that integrates the recently introduced internal conical flow M (ICFM) basic flowfield (Musa et al., “New Parent Flowfield for Streamline-Traced Intakes,” AIAA Journal, Vol. 61, No. 7, 2023, pp. 2906–2921) with the pressure-corrected osculating axisymmetric flows and streamline tracing techniques. The new design method takes into account the effects of lateral pressure gradients by incorporating pressure corrections into the original design method using crossflow velocity information from the ICFM flowfield. Additionally, new entrance and throat profiles are introduced for designing two hypersonic internal waverider intakes with shape transition. One intake is designed using the new method, and the other using the original method. Viscous simulations have been performed at design (i.e., Mach 6.0) and off-design (i.e., Mach 4.0 and 3.5) conditions. The results indicate that the pressure-corrected intake exhibits superior performance in terms of total pressure recovery and reduced flow distortion. This reveals that the new design method can achieve a smooth shape and efficient aerodynamic transitions between the intake entrance and throat. The new entrance and throat profiles realized better performance than the typical ones. The startability analysis reveals that the Van Wie curve controls the considered intakes. Thus, combining the pressure-corrected osculating axisymmetric flows with the ICFM flowfield enhances the performance of hypersonic intakes, making this approach a promising avenue for future hypersonic vehicles.

Experiment investigation on secondary flow loss and flow control mechanisms in a variable compressor cascade with penny cavities

Variable Stator Vanes (VSVs) with penny cavities are an important method to improve the efficiency of compressors. However, the annular and radial gaps in VSVs introduce complex flow structures, posing challenges in enhancing compressor efficiency. This article employs low-speed wind tunnel experiments to study the impact mechanisms of VSVs' adjustment angle and radial gap size on secondary flow losses and implements single-hole suction as a means of flow control to reduce total pressure loss. The results indicate that radial gap leakage has a certain inhibitory effect on annular gap leakage at general adjustment angles. Total pressure loss decreases initially as the radial gap increases but once the radial gap further enlarges and dominates the loss components, the total pressure loss increases proportionally with the radial gap. At extreme adjustment angles, where the lateral pressure gradient is significant, radial gap leakage intensity is high and comprises the major part of the loss, leading to an increase in total pressure loss in proportion to radial gap enlargement. Additionally, single-hole suction is effective under various conditions, with the potential to reduce total pressure loss by up to 19.4 %. These findings provide guidance for the application of VSVs in further improving compressor efficiency.

Evaluating the Physics of Outcrop‐To‐Outcrop Flow With Hydrothermal Flow Models

AbstractCold and diffuse hydrothermal circulation on mid‐ocean ridge flanks impacts heat and fluid fluxes between the seafloor and the ocean. One mode of this circulation is given by outcrop‐to‐outcrop flow, where seawater circulates through a crustal aquifer that connects two or more recharging and discharging seamounts or basement highs that outcrop through the less permeable sediment cover. The physical mechanism driving this flow is a lateral pressure gradient that is sustained by contrasting the hydrological properties of the recharging and discharging outcrops. To investigate the physical controls of this pressure gradient, we performed two‐dimensional numerical simulations of coupled heat transfer and fluid flow. We have modified aquifer permeability, outcrop permeability and width, outcrop distance, and sediment thickness to assess their mutual effects on the lateral pressure differences. We have also investigated how different flow patterns, resulting from changes in these parameters, manifest themselves in seafloor observables such as flow rates, aquifer temperatures, and heat flow. Our models show that outcrop‐to‐outcrop flow generally occurs for aquifer permeabilities ≥10−14 m2, depending on the basal heat input. High aquifer permeabilities correspond to fast flow rates and low fluid temperatures, whereas the maximum lateral pressure differences arise for lower permeabilities. The permeability and the geometric shape of the outcrops determine the flow direction, while the aquifer temperature is also affected by the distance between the outcrops. Thicker sediments increase the lateral pressure difference and the flow rate. Our models thus provide constraints for predicting subseafloor hydrothermal ridge flank flow behavior from regional field data.

Research on modeling method of non-axisymmetric endwall based on body-fitted coordinates

Due to the large bending of turbine blades, there is strong three-dimensional flow in cascade channel, the three-dimensional flow at the endwall of blades generates extremely complex heat transfer characteristics. The design concept of high heat load turbine blades, particularly comprehensive optimization of flow and heat transfer at the endwall, has gained increasing attention. In this paper, we have developed a three-dimensional endwall parameterized modeling platform based on Body-Fitting Coordinates and introduced a novel approach for streamwise direction and normal direction concerning endwall profile construction. The endwall modeling was optimized using Genetic Algorithm to obtain a modified one with low heat transfer level on the premise that the aerodynamic loss is not increased. The analysis indicates that the reduction of aerodynamic loss with the modified endwall is relatively marginal, whereas the heat transfer intensity on the endwall surface experiences a significant decrease. Additionally, employing an endwall model can effectively mitigate the lateral pressure gradient in the cascade channel, which exerts a pronounced influence on suppressing secondary vortex development in the cascade.

Structures of Lateral Flow and Turbulence in a Breaking Tidal Bore Rushing through a Curved Channel of the Qiantang Estuary

Abstract Tidal bores form in distinct funnel-shaped estuaries and bays initially and cause unique flow and turbulence dynamics when passing through meandering channels, such as in the Qiantang Estuary, Amazon River Estuary, and Seine River Estuary. To understand the lateral currents and turbulence processes of tidal bores in curved channels, velocity profiles and free-surface elevations are sampled for four semidiurnal tidal cycles in a curved channel located upstream of the Qiantang Estuary. During flood tides, the evolution of lateral currents experiences three distinct phases: first, there are inner-bank-toward lateral currents at the front of tidal bores, followed by two-layer helical currents in the middle of the flood tides, and finally, outer-bank-pointing lateral currents at the end of flood tides. Tidal bore breaking creates outbursts of turbulent kinetic energy. The enhanced turbulence emerges above the middle layers and persists for more than 10 minutes after the breaking front. The lateral momentum balance indicates that the decreasing lateral barotropic pressure gradient (LBTPG) and the increasing summation of centrifugal and Coriolis acceleration give rise to the variation in lateral currents. The phase lead of bores near the outer bank induced by shoal-channel topography generates an inner-bank-pointing LBTPG at the bore front and then gradually weakens it. Significant turbulence following bore breaking may be induced via the wave-induced turbulence mechanism by violent secondary waves. This research shows that complicated lateral currents are an important component of tidal bores flowing through meandering channels and that secondary waves after bore breaking can continually feed turbulence. Significance Statement The purpose of this study is to discern and explain the variation in lateral flows and turbulence when tidal bores rush through a curved estuarine channel. Lateral currents and turbulence play important roles in momentum exchange, scalar dispersion, and transverse topography evolution. Moreover, the discussion on lateral flows is necessary to extend the understanding of tidal bore hydrodynamics from the x–z dimension to the x–y–z dimension. In situ observations reveal that a complicated but regular pattern of lateral currents occurred in every tidal cycle and that there was significant turbulence at the tidal bore front. Our findings show that the lateral difference in tidal bore propagation speed caused by shoal-channel topography in the curved bend is an essential reason for the generation of lateral currents and that the secondary waves simulated by bore breaking can continuously feed tidal bore turbulence.

Numerical Simulation of Radiatively Driven Convection in a Small Ice-Covered Lake with a Lateral Pressure Gradient

The results of a numerical simulation of radiatively driven convection (RDC) in a small ice-covered lake with a lateral pressure gradient are shown. RDC influences aquatic ecosystems as convective flow transfers heat and dissolved and suspended matter through the water column. There is a hypothesis that a continuum of convective cells with areas of ascending and descending water flows exists in a convective mixed layer (CML). Until now, little has been known about how the structure of the CML changes in lakes with lateral transport. In this work, the evolution of the CML in the computational domain with a lateral pressure gradient over several days is reproduced using an Implicit Large Eddy Simulation. We show that after a few days of lateral pressure gradient occurrence, convective cells are replaced by rolls oriented along the lateral transport direction. The change in the CML’s turbulence patterns under a lateral pressure gradient is confirmed by Anisotropic Invariant Map analysis. The study revealed a heterogeneity of pulsations of the horizontal and vertical velocity components over the entire depth of the CML and showed that when a horizontal gradient is present, the velocity pulsations generally increase.

Crustal deformation in the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau: insights from broad-band Pg-wave attenuation tomography

SUMMARY The deformation mechanism in southeastern Tibet since the continental collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates could be explained by several models, including two major classic end-member models, the rigid-block extrusion model and the crustal flow model. Crustal channel flow is likely an important tectonic regime for properly explaining a large number of geological and geophysical observations but remains in competition with the block extrusion model. Consequently, detecting ductile flow connectivity would play a key role in understanding the tectonic evolution of the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. Here, we established a high-resolution broad-band QPg model for the crust in SE Tibet by using a joint inversion tomography method based on both single- and two-station Pg data. We verified the stability of the QPg tomography by comparing the QPg values at 1 Hz between the joint inversion and the two-station method. Two low-QPg zones were observed, isolated by the high-QPg Emeishan large igneous province (ELIP). Strong Pg attenuation beneath the Songpan-Ganzi Block and Western Sichuan Block may indicate the presence of crustal material flow due to relatively weak rheological strength. Cooled basaltic magma remnants in the inner zone of the ELIP likely block the southeastward migration of crustal materials driven by the gravity and lateral pressure gradient, and restrict the flow to the Western Sichuan Block, resulting in surface uplift and crustal thickening. Strong Pg attenuation near the Xiaojiang Fault and the Red River Fault may result from mantle upwelling in this region. Our QPg model, combined with previous results, suggests that the tectonic deformation in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau has been mainly controlled by the effects of crustal channel flow and asthenospheric upwelling since the Late Miocene.

Small lateral air pressure gradients generated by a large chamber system have a strong effect onCO2transport in soil

AbstractGas transport in soils is usually assumed to be purely diffusive, although several studies have shown that non‐diffusive processes can significantly enhance soil gas transport. These processes include barometric air pressure changes, wind‐induced pressure pumping and static air pressure fields generated by wind interacting with obstacles. The associated pressure gradients in the soil can cause advective gas fluxes that are much larger than diffusive fluxes. However, the contributions of the respective transport processes are difficult to separate. We developed a large chamber system to simulate pressure fields and investigate their influence on soil gas transport. The chamber consists of four subspaces in which pressure is regulated by fans that blow air in or out of the chamber. With this setup, we conducted experiments with oscillating and static pressure fields. CO2concentrations were measured along two soil profiles beneath the chamber. We found a significant relationship between static lateral pressure gradients and the change in the CO2profiles (R2 = 0.53;p‐value <2e‐16). Even small pressure gradients between −1 and 1 Pa relative to ambient pressure resulted in an increase or decrease in CO2concentrations of 8% on average in the upper soil, indicating advective flow of air in the pore space. Positive pressure gradients resulted in decreasing, negative pressure gradients in increasing CO2concentrations. The concentration changes were probably caused by an advective flow field in the soil beneath the chamber generated by the pressure gradients. No effect of oscillating pressure fields was observed in this study. The results indicate that static lateral pressure gradients have a substantial impact on soil gas transport and therefore are an important driver of gas exchange between soil and atmosphere. Lateral pressure gradients in a comparable range can be induced under windy conditions when wind interacts with terrain features. They can also be caused by chambers used for flux measurements at high wind speed or by fans used for head‐space mixing within the chambers, which yields biased flux estimates.

Cenozoic upper mantle flow history of the Atlantic realm based on Couette/Poiseuille models: Towards paleo-mantle-flowgraphy

Mantle convection is a fundamental process in the Earth’s system, yet its history remains poorly known. Sophisticated inverse geodynamic Earth models are available to retrodict past mantle states, but their high computational cost and complex parameterizations limit their ability to isolate key effects and interpret simulated paleo-mantle-flow patterns. This calls for an approach to conceptualize paleo-mantle-flow at a simple analytical level. The existence of weak asthenosphere allows one to formulate a Couette/Poiseuille model of upper mantle flow, where flow is linked to movements of overlying tectonic plates, and to lateral pressure gradients induced by rising plumes and sinking slabs. Here we present results from such models for the Atlantic realm in the Cenozoic, and link them to seismically inferred anisotropy along with mantle flow retrodictions from inverse geodynamic modeling. Our analytical paleo-mantle-flow indicates that (1) material sourced by plumes is carried towards slab locations, as expected, (2) it is broadly consistent with the orientation of seismic azimuthal anisotropy, and (3) it agrees with the large-scale flow patterns and amplitudes from mantle flow retrodictions. Our results suggest using a hierarchy of models together with growing geological constraints on past plate motions and dynamic topography to gain a better understanding of paleo-mantle-flow.

Film-cooling hole optimization and experimental validation considering the lateral pressure gradient

The flow in the turbine endwall region consists of the complicated secondary flow structures driven by the lateral pressure gradient, which heavily affects the performance of film cooling. In this work, the film-cooling hole design optimization is performed considering the existence of the lateral pressure gradient in the real flow environment. Results have shown that the optimal film-cooling hole design is heavily influenced by the lateral pressure gradient in the endwall region, especially the compound angle design is clearly different from the flat plate flow environment. The optimization results are further validated with experiments using the pressure-sensitive paint (PSP) technique, and the film cooling performance is shown to be improved by 42.9%. This work demonstrates the importance of considering the real flow environment in the film-cooling hole design and also can provide guidance to the film-cooling hole design in the endwall region.

Condensation on a Vertical Plate With Sinusoidal Microfins

Abstract A theoretically based, approximate solution for condensation on horizontal, microfinned tubes has been used as a basis to obtain a relation between heat flux and vapor-surface temperature difference for condensation on a vertical plate with sinusoidal microfins. The earlier result was in excellent agreement with experimental data with regard to magnitudes of the heat-transfer coefficient, dependence on fin and tube dimensions, and for a range of fluids with widely different properties. The new equation for condensation on a vertical plate with sinusoidal microfins takes account of the vertical gravity force and the lateral surface tension-induced pressure gradient over the curved fin surface. The equation reduces to the Nusselt result when fin height is zero and to simple area enhancement of the Nusselt result when surface tension is set to zero. Comparisons are made with experimental data for condensation of nitrogen on a vertical surface with sinusoidal microfins.

Assessment of new pressure-corrected design method for hypersonic internal waverider intake

The osculating axisymmetric flows concept is an extension of the concept of the osculating cones for designing waveriders which is also utilized to design the three-dimensional internal waverider intake, where the three-dimensional flowfield is generated using slices of locally two-dimensional flow. However, this design methodology neglects the effect of cross-flow between the osculating planes, which causes lateral pressure gradients. Therefore, this article introduces and assesses a new pressure-corrected osculating axisymmetric flows design approach for the three-dimensional internal waverider intake. The new design concept adds the lateral pressure gradient correction into the original design concept using cross-flow velocities calculated by Euler’s incompressible flow equation between the osculating planes. Thereafter, three-dimensional streamlines are formed instead of the osculating plane’s two-dimensional streamlines. The new design procedure is presented in detail and then verified using wavecatcher intake with a circular shape that contains zero lateral pressure gradients. No geometry changes are found when the pressure-corrected wavecatcher intake is compared with the uncorrected wavecatcher intake. Moreover, four hypersonic wavecatcher intakes of semi-rectangular and rectangular entrance and exit shapes are designed with a design point of Mach number 6.0 and numerically studied to assess the new design approach. The results revealed that the pressure-corrected wavecatcher intakes exhibited better total pressure recovery, flow uniformity, Mach number, and kinetic energy efficiency than uncorrected wavecatcher intakes. While the impinged shockwave is attached to the intake’s entrance, and the mass flow is completely captured in all designs. It is found that 38.49% and 30.36% of the exit area of the pressure-corrected wavecatcher intakes, and 35.68% and 28.37% of the exit area of the uncorrected wavecatcher intakes, have provided the combustor with air having a total pressure recovery above 0.7, respectively.

Long‐Term Observations of Subseafloor Temperatures and Pressures in a Low‐Temperature, Off‐Axis Hydrothermal System in North Pond on the Western Flank of the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge

AbstractBasement formation pressures and temperatures were recorded from 1997 to 2017 in four sealed‐hole observatories in North Pond, an isolated ∼8 × 15 km sediment pond surrounded by thinly sedimented basement highs in 7–8 Ma crust west of the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge at ∼23°N. Two observatories are located ∼1 km from the southeastern edge of North Pond where sediment thickness is ∼90 m; the other two are ∼1 km from the northeastern edge where sediment thickness is 40–50 m. Sediments are up to 200 m thicker in the more central part of the pond. The borehole observations, along with upper basement temperatures estimated from seafloor heat flux measurements, provide constraints on the nature of low‐temperature ridge‐flank hydrothermal circulation in a setting that may be typical of sparsely sedimented crust formed at slow spreading ridges. Relative to seafloor pressures, basement formation pressures are modestly positive and increase with depth, except for a slight negative differential pressure in the shallowest 30–40 m in one northeastern hole. Although the observatory pairs are ∼6 km apart, the lateral pressure gradient in basement between them is very small. Formation pressure responses to seafloor tidal loading are consistent with high basement permeability that allows for vigorous low‐temperature circulation with low lateral pressure gradients. In contrast, there is significant lateral variability in upper basement temperatures, with highest values of ∼12.5°C beneath the thickly sedimented southwest section, lower values near the edges, and lowest values near the southeast edge. The results are key to assessing past and recent models for the circulation system.

Effects of the multicavity tip coolant injection on the blade tip and the over tip casing aerothermal performance in a high-pressure turbine cascade

In high performance gas turbine engines, the over tip leakage flow driven by the lateral pressure gradient is inevitably induced inside the blade tip gap in the high-pressure stage turbine due to the freestanding airfoil design methodology. To obtain an increasing level of thermal efficiency, the turbine inlet temperature is gradually increased in terms of the Brayton cycle. Hence, the blade tip and the over tip casing are subjected to high thermal load. In real turbine blade, cavity tips are widely used to decrease the over tip leakage flow and the thermal load on the blade tip and over tip casing. In the present study, the numerical simulations were conducted to investigate the effects of the multicavity coolant injection on the blade tip and the over tip casing aerothermal performance. Three-dimensional (3-D) Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations and standard turbulence model were solved together in the simulations. The results indicate the ribs inside the tip cavity alter the distribution of film cooling efficiency by changing flow structure within the tip gap. Most of the coolant is limited in each little cavity owing to the blockage of ribs. Here, the swirling action of each cavity vortex results in the coolant providing a wider film cooling coverage. Therefore, the increase in film cooling effectiveness on the blade tip surface is more efficient than that of over-tip casing. The blade with four tip cavities film cooling (4CFC) obtains the largest area-averaged film cooling effectiveness, which is augmented by 14.3% in comparison with the case with a single tip cavity film cooling (1CFC).

Curved Jet Motion. I. Orbiting and Precessing Jets

Astrophysical jets are often observed as bent or curved structures. We also know that the different jet sources may be binary in nature, which may lead to a regular, periodic motion of the jet nozzle, an orbital motion, or precession. Here we present the results of 2D (M)HD simulations in order to investigate how a precessing or orbiting jet nozzle affects the propagation of a high-speed jet. We have performed a parameter study of systems with different precession angles, different orbital periods or separations, and different magnetic field strengths. We find that these kinds of nozzles lead to curved jet propagation, which is determined by the main parameters that define the jet nozzle. We find C-shaped jets from orbiting nozzles and S-shaped jets from precessing nozzles. Over a long time and long distances, the initially curved jet motion bores a broad channel into the ambient gas that is filled with high-speed jet material whose lateral motion is damped, however. A strong (longitudinal) magnetic field can damp the jet curvature that is enforced by either precession or orbital motion of the jet sources. We have investigated the force balance across the jet and ambient medium and found that the lateral magnetic pressure and gas pressure gradients are almost balanced, but that a lack of gas pressure on the concave side of the curvature is leading to the lateral motion. Magnetic tension does not play a significant role. Our results are obtained in code units, but we provide scaling relations such that our results may be applied to young stars, microquasars, symbiotic stars, or active galactic nuclei.

Modification of Segment Structure Calculation Theory and Development and Application of Integrated Software for a Shield Tunnel

From the aspect of calculation theory, the beam–spring model method and modified routine method of shield tunnel segment structure calculation were improved, and an efficient integrated software system for segment structure calculation of shield tunnel was developed. The beam–spring method is generally calculated according to the assumption of continuous displacement between beams and joints, and the existing modified routine method assumes that the lateral pressure gradient is constant generally, which does not consider the variation in lateral pressure gradient caused by the difference in the lateral pressure coefficient of soil layers or the water level height, which has a certain deviation from the actual situation. The existing beam–spring method and modified routine method theory were improved, the discontinuous displacement between beams and joints in the beam–spring method was taken into account, and the problem of lateral pressure gradient change in the modified routine method was solved. The calculation software system developed by C# and python programming language was proposed to improve the accuracy and efficiency of segment structure calculation. Based on the actual monitoring data of the internal force of the shield tunnel segment and the adjacent shield tunnel segments under construction in Changsha, China, the segments of the shield tunnel with different cross-section sizes and different hydrogeological conditions are calculated to verify the reliability of the calculation software system. At the same time, combined with the calculation results of the software system and field test data, the stiffness reduction coefficient and equivalent foundation resistance coefficient in the modified routine method were derived to further improve the accuracy of the calculation results, which provided a new idea for the calculation of segment structure of shield tunnel with different diameters under different hydrogeological conditions.

Effect of particle deposition on film cooling from fan-shaped holes

Film cooling from fan-shaped holes is an essential cooling technology in modern gas turbines. The cooling performance degradation and life reduction of high-temperature components caused by calcium-magnesium-alumino-silicates (CMAS) blockage in film cooling holes have received little attention in the public literature. The emphasis of this study lies in using the large eddy simulation (LES) method to reveal the effects of blockage on the flow, mixing, and heat transfer physics of fan-shaped hole film cooling. Blockages were predicted by the improved composite deposition model. The blowing ratio of 0≤M≤3 and the blockage level of 0≤H/D≤0.75 represent the typical practice in gas turbines. The conjugate heat transfer analysis shows that the particle deposition was closely related to the blowing ratio and the film cooling effectiveness, and the fan-shaped holes were blocked for more than 0.5D after 500 hours of service under the studied conditions. LES results indicate that blockages significantly change the organization of turbulent coherent structures and the mixing between coolant and hot gas. Spiral and lateral reorient structures and pressure gradients play important roles in coolant streamwise extension, lateral coverage, and vortex evolution. At the low blowing ratio, small blockages induced the differentiation of “hairpin vortex forest” and the formation of anti-counter-rotating vortex pairs (Anti-CRVP), and the downwash effect of coolant improved the film cooling effectiveness. At the high blowing ratio, the blockage promoted the fusion of hairpin vortices to the midspan, resulting in the dominance of large-scale CRVP and the attenuation or even complete dissipation of Anti-CRVP. The strong hot gas entrainment effect of CRVP leads to the intensification of vertical mixing and the weakening of lateral dispersion of coolant, and the dramatic decrease of film cooling effect. It was found that the maximum degradation rate of the area-averaged effectiveness caused by blockages can reach more than 90%. The discharge coefficient and aerodynamic loss increase significantly under large blockage and blowing ratios. Whether blocked or not, operating near the optimal effective momentum flux ratio (0.2 ∼ 0.32) is helpful to achieve efficient cooling.

Design and analysis of a Ventral Diverterless Supersonic Inlet

The diverterless supersonic inlet (DSI) has the advantages of good stealth performance and light structure weight. In this paper, the Bump surface is designed based on the flow field obtained by Taylor-Maccoll equation solving the supersonic conical flow, and a ventral diverterless supersonic inlet is given by the method. Numerical simulation is used to study the mechanism of the Bump surface for diverting the boundary layer. Results indicates: (1) the lateral pressure gradient created by the shock wave at the leading edge of the Bump surface is the main reason of pushing the boundary layer away; (2) the total pressure loss due to the shock wave will be small for better combination of the Bump surface and the lip; (3) it is necessary to design the duct of the DSI inlet with refinement to achieve low distortion.

Relationship between channel flow initiation and crustal viscosity in convergent settings: an analog modeling approach

Channel flow has been proposed as a mechanism to explain the formation of the Greater Himalayan Sequence that is bounded by normal sense ductile shear along the Himalayan orogen. The key requirements for channel flow are: (i) extruding middle-to-lower crust of low viscosity, and (ii) excess gravitational potential due to topography. We present scaled two-layer physical models where the effect of the gravitational potential with respect to the plate convergence rate is investigated. Viscous middle crust starts moving towards the surface where the strain rate imposed by the convergence is 30% of that arising from the lateral pressure gradient. How efficiently the low-viscosity crust extrudes is directly linked to the imposed pressure gradient. A simple correlation between the extruding rock’s viscosity, the convergence rate, and the topography imposing the pressure gradient is established. The upward motion of viscous material is expected already for a mid-crustal viscosity of 1021 Pa s. This is significantly higher than previously expected, suggesting that one of the fundamental requirements for channel flow might not be necessary.