Non-uniform Velocity Profile Research Articles

On the Challenges of Integrating a Rotating Detonation Combustor with an Industrial Gas Turbine and Important Design Considerations for Row-1 Blades

Abstract In an effort to increase the efficiency and performance of gas turbine power cycles, pressure gain combustion (PGC) has gained significant interest. Since Rotating Detonation Combustors (RDC) can provide a quasi-steady mode of operation, research has been triggered to integrate RDC with power-generating gas turbines. However, the presence of subsonic and supersonic flow fields which are generated due to the shock waves that stem from the detonation wave front and the highly non-uniform temperature and velocity profiles may cause a depreciation in the turbine performance. The current study seeks to investigate the challenges of integrating the RDC with nozzle guide vanes (NGV) of an industrial, can-annular gas turbine and attempts to understand the major contributors that impact efficiency and identify the key areas of optimization that need to be considered for maximizing performance. The RDC was integrated with the NGVs through a non-optimized straight duct-type geometry with a diffuser cone. 3-Dimensional Numerical analyses were performed to investigate sources of total pressure loss and to understand the unsteady effects of RDC which contribute towards the deterioration of performance. The entropy generation at different regions of interest was calculated to identify the major irreversibilities in the system. Also, total pressure and temperature distribution along the radial direction at the exit of the transitional duct is presented.

Skyrmion motion induced by spin-waves on magnetic nanotubes

Abstract We investigate the skyrmion motion driven by spin waves on magnetic nanotubes through micromagnetic simulations. Our key results include demonstrating the stability and enhanced mobility of skyrmions on the edgeless nanotube geometry, which prevents destruction at boundaries — a common issue in planar geometries. We explore the influence of the damping coefficient, amplitude, and frequency of microwaves on skyrmion dynamics, revealing a non-uniform velocity profile characterized by acceleration and deceleration phases. Our results show that the skyrmion Hall effect is significantly modulated on nanotubes compared to planar models, with specific dependencies on the spin-wave parameters. These findings provide insights into skyrmion manipulation for spintronic applications, highlighting the potential for high-speed and efficient information transport in magnonic devices.

Phenotypic and proteomic differences in biofilm formation of two Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains in static and dynamic flow environments

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum is a Gram-positive non-motile bacterium capable of producing biofilms that contribute to the colonization of surfaces in a range of different environments. In this study, we compared two strains, WCFS1 and CIP104448, in their ability to produce biofilms in static and dynamic (flow) environments using an in-house designed flow setup. This flow setup enables us to impose a non-uniform flow velocity profile across the well. Biofilm formation occurred at the bottom of the well for both strains, under static and flow conditions, where in the latter condition, CIP104448 also showed increased biofilm formation at the walls of the well in line with the higher hydrophobicity of the cells and the increased initial attachment efficacy compared to WCFS1. Fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy showed open 3D structured biofilms formed under flow conditions, containing live cells and ∼30 % damaged/dead cells for CIP104448, whereas the WCFS1 biofilm showed live cells closely packed together. Comparative proteome analysis revealed minimal changes between planktonic and static biofilm cells of the respective strains suggesting that biofilm formation within 24 h is merely a passive process. Notably, observed proteome changes in WCFS1 and CIP104448 flow biofilm cells indicated similar and unique responses including changes in metabolic activity, redox/electron transfer and cell division proteins for both strains, and myo-inositol production for WCFS1 and oxidative stress response and DNA damage repair for CIP104448 uniquely. Exposure to DNase and protease treatments as well as lethal concentrations of peracetic acid showed highest resistance of flow biofilms. For the latter, CIP104448 flow biofilm even maintained its high disinfectant resistance after dispersal from the bottom and from the walls of the well. Combining all results highlights that L. plantarum biofilm structure and matrix, and physiological state and stress resistance of cells is strain dependent and strongly affected under flow conditions. It is concluded that consideration of effects of flow on biofilm formation is essential to better understand biofilm formation in different settings, including food processing environments.

Comparison of Hydrodynamic Processes Modelling Results in Shallow Water Bodies Based on 3D Model and 2D Model Averaged by Depth

Introduction. Two-dimensional hydrodynamic models have proven their ability to adequately describe the processes of runoff and transportation in rivers, lakes, estuaries, deltas and seas. Practice shows that even where significant three-dimensional effects are expected, for example, with wind flows, a two-dimensional approach can work effectively. However, in some cases, the two-dimensional model does not accurately reflect the actual flow structures. For example, in shallow waters with complex bathymetry, heterogeneous terrain and dynamics can lead to a non-uniform velocity profile. The aim of the study is to develop a basis for determining in which cases a two-dimensional model averaged in depth is sufficient for modelling hydrodynamic processes in shallow waters like the Azov Sea, and in which cases it is advisable to use a three-dimensional model to obtain accurate results.Materials and Methods. Local analytical solutions have been obtained for the propagation of the predominant singular progressive wave in a shallow, well-mixed reservoir. Advective terms and Coriolis terms are neglected, the vortex viscosity is assumed to be constant, and the lower friction term is linearized. Special attention is paid to the latter, since the characteristics of the models significantly depend on the method of determining the coefficients of lower friction. The analytical method developed in the study shows that certain combinations of higher flow velocities (u ≈˃ 1 m/s) and water depths (d ˃ 50 m) can cause significant differences between the results of the depth-averaged model and the model containing vertical information.Results. The results obtained are verified by numerical simulation of stationary and non-stationary periodic flows in a schematized rectangular basin. The results obtained as a result of three-dimensional modelling are compared with the results of two-dimensional modelling averaged in depth. Both simulations show good compliance with analytical solutions.Discussion and Conclusions. Analytical solutions were found by linearization of the equations, which obviously has its limitations. A distinction is made between two types of nonlinear effects — nonlinearities caused by higher-order terms in the equations of motion, i.e. terms of advective acceleration and friction, and nonlinear effects caused by geometric nonlinearities, this is due, for example, to different water depths and reservoir widths, which will be important when modelling a real sea.

Velocity nonuniformity and wall heat loss coupling effect on supersonic mixing layer flames

With urgent demand for reliable flame stabilization in air-breathing high-speed aircrafts' combustors under a wide range of operational scenarios, understanding flame characteristics under various inflow and wall thermal conditions is crucial for mixing layer-stabilized flames. In this paper, the effect of inflow velocity nonuniformity, wall heat loss and their coupling on flame structures, flame lift-off and stabilization mechanisms in the supersonic mixing layer are analyzed. An approach based on the Beta distribution model is innovatively proposed to generate the pseudo nonuniform inflow velocity profiles. Different flame modes, the regime diagram and key controlling parameters are quantitatively analyzed via the active subspace method. The results show that the coupling of velocity nonuniformity and wall heat loss can lead to three flame modes, i.e., the heat loss-dominant flame, the intermediate flame, and the nonuniformity-dominant flame, as the flame stabilizes from upstream to downstream regions with the normalized flame lift-off length Lnorm in the range of [0,0.50], (0.50,0.58], and (0.58,1.0], respectively. This finding is consistent with the autoignition flame stabilization mechanism. In addition, the fuel burnt-out ratio of the flame is found to be nonlinearly correlated with flame lift-off length and peaks approximately with Lnorm=0.8, owing to the subtle interactions of mixing and chemical reactions in the mixing layer. The viscous heating in the boundary layer may have a pronounced impact on the flame lift-off depending on the level of wall heat loss, and the predicted Lnorm variation could be approximately 26 percent of the combustor length with/without viscous effect under the isothermal wall condition.

Mooring tension assessment of a single line kelp farm with quantified biomass, waves, and currents

While the number of kelp farms have steadily increased, few have been deployed with sensors to measure mooring tensions with substantial biomass. During the kelp farming season of 2018–2019 in Saco Bay, Maine USA, a field study was conducted to assess mooring loads due to environmental conditions and kelp growth. The effort included the deployment of a farm with a 122 m cultivation line and spread mooring with rope, chain, and anchors in 15.2 m of water. The system was deployed with seeded twine in late November and harvested in May. In April, with kelp biomass estimated at 7.8 kg m−1, two load cells were installed to measure mooring tensions in response to currents and waves. The currents and waves were measured with two Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers deployed adjacent to the load cells. From these measurements, we characterized the maximum loading case in response to a complex hydrodynamic environment. The maximum tension occurred on the landward side of the farm even though wave exposure was seaward. The tension in the landward side mooring was dominated by steady drag from the currents going to the east southeast. During this event, the two profilers were positioned on the leading and trailing edges of the farm relative to the prevailing current direction. Velocities measured at 0.5 m bins showed a 26.7% reduction at the depths where the kelp was located. To analyze the dynamic portion of the load cell datasets, the oscillatory components were processed into energy density spectra. Results showed that mooring tensions were not affected by waves at frequencies greater than 0.175 Hz, with most of the energy occurring near 0.12 Hz. The tension spectra did reveal energy at frequencies between 0.0075 and 0.01 Hz, indicating a low frequency response, possibly due to nonuniform velocity profiles inducing vertical motion of the cultivation line. It was also observed that the landward mooring, subjected to higher currents, was more sensitive to oscillating loads than the slack seaward side. The high-fidelity dataset will be useful for numerical modeling validation to further understand these dynamics and to optimize kelp farm designs.

The effect of inlet velocity profile on entropy generation and hydrothermal performance of a pin-fin heatsink with biologically prepared silver/water nanofluid coolant: Two-phase mixture model

The prediction of heat transfer characteristics numerically depends on several factors such as the numerical method, the boundary and operating conditions, etc. The present paper investigated the influence of using the uniform and non-uniform inlet velocity profiles on the heat transfer coefficient (h), pumping power (W˙p), temperature uniformity (θ), and thermal and frictional entropy generation rates (S˙th and S˙fr) in a pin-fin heatsink with silver/water nanofluid (NF) coolant. The numerical study is conducted utilizing the two-phase mixture scheme. The results proved that h is almost the same for two inlet profiles with the maximum deviation of 0.2%. θ and W˙p, however, for uniform profile is nearly 2.52–1.86% and 15–26% higher than those for the other case at Reynolds numbers of 500–2000, respectively, indicating a lower temperature uniformity and higher power consumption for uniform velocity profile. The figure of merit was obtained as 1.19–1.36 at Re numbers of 500–2000; indicating the better hydrothermal performance of the non-uniform inlet velocity profile over the other case. In addition, S˙th was almost the same for both cases due to same mean temperature and temperature gradients. However, S˙fr for non-uniform profiles was 4.41–8.84% lower than that for other profile at Reynolds numbers of 500–2000.

Numerical modeling of sequential segmentation for enhancement of mixing inside microchannels

This study investigates sequential segmentation as an active mixing technique inside microchannels. In sequential segmentation, the solvent and anti-solvent streams are divided into segments in the axial direction. Due to the non-uniform velocity profile exhibited in laminar flow, Taylor-Aris dispersion can improve mixing by several orders of magnitude as compared with pure molecular diffusion. We built a 3D numerical model using COMSOL Multiphysics® to optimize this technique. We studied the effect of segmentation frequency, duty cycle (DC), flow velocity, microchannel aspect ratio and configuration of the inlet branches on the concentration distribution. We found that channel aspect ratio (H:W) and segmentation frequency had the most significant effect on mixing efficiency. Increasing segmentation frequency was found to increase the mixing efficiency up to a certain limit beyond which mixing efficiency decreased. This decrease was due to the non-complete segmentation of both streams at high frequencies and the formation of continuous trailing stream of both the solvent and anti-solvent. These trailing streams, which mitigate the segmentation effect, also appear in low aspect ratio (i.e. wider) channels and, therefore, reduces the mixing efficiency. Unequal mixing ratios were achievable by changing the segmentation duty cycle without changing the mixing efficiency considerably. Changing the flow velocity did not cause considerable changes in the mixing efficiency. Our 3D model confirms that sequential segmentation can considerably improve mixing inside microchannels and introduces the channel aspect ratio, for the first time, as an important parameter affecting the segmentation mixing efficiency.

Numerical investigation of the spark discharge process in a crossflow

The present study numerically investigates the spark discharge process under crossflow conditions using a thermal equilibrium plasma solver that fully couples the electromagnetic physics and fluid dynamics in a computational framework. Numerical results are validated by the comparison with experimental data. The spark discharge experiment is performed in a constant volume vessel using an inductive coil ignition system for automotive applications, and the evolution of the spark channel is measured using high-speed imaging. The crossflow in the gap between the spark-plug electrodes is generated by a rotating fan with two different fan speeds, and the flow velocity across the gap is characterized by particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurement. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solver is employed to simulate the crossflow and provide the flow field variables (velocity, pressure, temperature) to the plasma solver. The crossflow velocity predicted in the flow simulation agrees well with the PIV data in that the non-uniform velocity profiles at monitoring points are reproduced by the CFD code. With the crossflow initialization in the plasma solver, the simulated spark discharge process from the breakdown to spark discharge matches the experimental data, including the voltage and circuit waveforms and the high-speed images of the spark channel evolution. The stretch of spark channel captured by plasma simulations agrees with the measured data. The plasma simulation reveals that the mean temperature of the spark channel is maintained at 5000 K during the discharge phase, and the temperature varies along the spark channel so that the highest value is obtained at the spark root on the center electrode. Overall, the results presented in this paper are meant to provide valuable information about the properties of the plasma generated by the spark discharge.

New Stage–Discharge Relationship for Triangular Broad-Crested Weirs

Simple hydraulic structures, such as weirs, allow measuring flow discharge by using the upstream flow depth and a stage–discharge relationship. In this relationship, a discharge coefficient is introduced to correct all the effects neglected in the derivation (viscosity, surface tension, velocity head in the approach channel, flow turbulence, non-uniform velocity profile, and streamline curvature due to weir contraction). In this paper, the dimensional analysis and the incomplete self-similarity theory are used to investigate the outflow process of triangular broad-crested weirs, characterized by different values of the ratio between crest height p and channel width B, and to theoretically deduce a new stage–discharge relationship. A new theoretical stage–discharge relationship is suggested for the free-flow condition, and it is tested using experimental data available in the literature for the hydraulic condition p/B > 0. The obtained stage–discharge equation, characterized by low errors in discharge estimate, is useful for laboratory and field investigations. Finally, specific analysis for the triangular broad-crested weirs with p/B > 0 was developed to modify the stage–discharge relationship obtained for the case p/B = 0. This specific stage–discharge relationship allows to reduce the errors, which are generally less than ±5%, in the estimate of discharge for triangular broad-crested weirs with p/B > 0 and is also applicable for the case p/B = 0.

A DMST-based tool to establish the best aspect ratio, solidity and rotational speed for tidal turbines in real sea conditions

A Double Multiple Stream Tube (DMST) routine to predict the performance of cross-flow hydrokinetic turbines in real environments is presented, along with a site assessment application to identify the most efficient turbine aspect ratio, solidity and configuration (single, or paired) for a selected area of the Northern Adriatic Sea. The peculiarity of this DMST tool is its 3D character, since it allows to reproduce the vertical distribution of the torque generated by the turbine. To this end, correlations for fluid dynamic phenomena, based on high-fidelity fully CFD simulations, were implemented. The marine circulation code SHYFEM is adopted to obtain velocity profiles for a half lunar cycle period. The sites with the highest mean kinetic power were identified. The DMST routine is equipped with an iterative process able to establish which rotational speed maximizes the power output. Indeed, a spatially non-uniform velocity profile requires to determine the flow velocity more suitable to obtain the rotational speed via Tip Speed Ratio (TSR) definition. To this end, the section of the blades working at optimal TSR varies from top to bottom, until the maximum power is reached. It works as a virtual Maximum Power Point Tracking system able to adapt the turbine operating conditions for the different turbine geometries, and for changes in flow conditions. The results show that for the case study, the performance curve shape influences the optimal TSR blade section: the latter is often located in the upper part of the turbine for the low solidity, whereas, for high solidity turbines, in the bottom half part.

Equilibrium mass transfer coefficients for a dilute species diffusing between laminar counter flowing streams derived from the corresponding eigenvalue problem for the advection–diffusion equation

The equilibrium mass transfer coefficients for a dilute species diffusing between two steady counter flowing fluid streams are derived from the eigenvalue problem for the laminar advection–diffusion equation. Both uniform and non-uniform velocity profiles are considered. A numerical method is first used to evaluate the limitations of the uniform velocity approximation and then to judge the accuracy of the derived approximate formulae. With a uniform velocity, the lowest order linear approximation is found to yield a fundamentally different formula to that based upon classical film theory. A key distinction is that the solutions enable the individual stream coefficients to be determined from experimental data, as opposed to the one overall value provided by film theory. The formulae are given in the form of fourth order polynomials in the driving force with high predictive accuracy only being achieved when all the terms are used.

Numerical characterization of heat transfer deterioration in supercritical natural circulation loop and role of loop inclination

Thermalhydraulics of any supercritical natural circulation loop (sNCL) is strongly influenced by the choice of operating conditions and geometric configurations, and can experience severe deterioration in heat transfer characteristics and circulation rate under certain situations. Present study focuses on systematic identification of a quantifiable criterion for prior identification of such deterioration in a carbon dioxide-driven rectangular loop, subjected to a wide range of operating conditions and also with particular emphasis on loop inclination. Four distinct regimes of operation have been identified, primarily based on the temperature levels in the adiabatic arms. Operation is desirable to be restricted within the enhanced heat transfer regime, which offers large heat transfer rate and moderate level of fluid temperature. Inclination to vertical lowers the driving potential, thereby reducing the flow rate and forcing an early induction into the deteriorated heat transfer regime. Highest circulation rate corresponds to the heater power capable of equating the average loop temperature to the pseudocritical value at that pressure. Strong thermal asymmetry and density stratification has been observed in the horizontal sections, with local recirculation and non-uniform radial velocity profiles. Buoyancy parameter has been identified as a capable dimensionless quantity to predict the appearance of deterioration a priori. It can also be coupled with the average friction factor to quantify the critical power level, and a correlation has been suggested for the same.

CFD analysis of an anemometric sensor design for air flow measurement in a heat exchanger

This paper focuses on the issue of flow measurement in automotive heat exchangers. The measurement is complicated due to the limited space in the heat exchanger area and the non-uniform velocity profile. Therefore, only some measuring techniques can be used, which must be adapted to the specific conditions. The paper presents the initial stages of the development of a sensor for measuring the flow in a heat exchanger. These are CFD simulations used to determine the nature of the flow around the sensor and verify its effect on the flow field in its surrounding and on the entire heat exchanger. The results of these initial simulations are presented and discussed.

Slip length measurement in rectangular graphene nanochannels with a 3D flow analysis

Although many molecular dynamics simulations have been conducted on slip flow on graphene, experimental efforts remain very limited and our understanding of the flow friction on graphene remains far from sufficient. Here, to accurately measure the slip length in rectangular nanochannels, we develop a 3D capillary flow model that fully considers the nonuniform cross-section velocity profile, slip boundary conditions, and the dynamic contact angle. We show that the 3D analysis is necessary even for a channel with a width/height ratio of 100. We fabricated graphene nanochannels with 45-nm depth and 5-μm width, and measured slip lengths of about 30–40 nm using this 3D flow model. We also reevaluated the slip-length data for graphene obtained from capillary filling experiments in the literature: 30 nm instead of originally claimed 45 nm for a 25-nm-deep channel, and 47 nm instead of 60 nm for an 8.5-nm-deep channel. We discover a smaller slip length than existing experimental measurements due to our full 3D flow analysis considered in our method. This work presents a rigorous analysis approach while also providing a better understanding of slip flow in graphene nanochannels, which will benefit further innovation in nanofluidic applications, including electronics cooling and biomedical chips.

Torricelli’s law revisited

Suppose a tank initially full of water is drained through a small hole at the bottom. At what rate does the water level drop? How long does it take to empty the tank? A mathematical model is formulated to answer these questions. An experiment is also conducted to check if the prediction agrees with observation. A novel modification to the mathematical model is presented to bring theory and observation in harmony. This involves accounting for the non-uniform velocity profile through the exit hole. Unsteady effects resulting from the acceleration of the fluid is also explored theoretically. The problem and solution procedure is suitable for an introductory physics course.

Evaporation heat transfer and flow characteristics of vertical upward flow in a plate-fin heat exchanger

This study experimentally investigated the evaporation heat transfer and two-phase flow characteristics of a vertical upward flow using R1234ze(E) and R32 as test refrigerants in a plate-fin heat exchanger with offset fins. The adiabatic and evaporation flows of R1234ze(E) were visualized using a high-speed camera. Owing to the asymmetry of the inlet and outlet of the channel, a non-uniform velocity profile in the channel-width direction was observed under both adiabatic and evaporation flows. Evaporation flow accompanied by nucleate bubble generation at the lower area of the channel and the occurrence of a dry area at the upper side of the channel were observed. The heat transfer coefficients of R1234ze(E) and R32 were measured, and the effects of mass flux, quality, and heat flux on heat transfer were clarified. The heat transfer was strongly affected by forced convection at higher mass fluxes and quality whereas nucleate boiling dominated at higher heat fluxes and lower quality. The difference in the heat transfer characteristics at local positions in the channel was also investigated by measuring the local wall temperatures. Comparing refrigerants, the heat transfer coefficient of R32 was higher than that of R1234ze(E), regardless of the mass flux and quality, especially at lower mass flux conditions.

Powering smart pipes with fluid flow: Effect of velocity profiles

The dynamics of elastic cantilevered smart pipes conveying fluid with non-uniform flow velocity profiles is presented for optimal power generation. The Navier-Stokes equations are used to model the incompressible flow in the circular smart pipe, and flow profile modification factors are formulated based on the Reynolds number and Darcy friction factor. The coupled constitutive dynamic equations, including the electrical circuit, are formulated for laminar and turbulent flows. Due to viscosity in a real fluid, non-uniform flow profiles induce dynamic stability and instability phenomena that affect the generated power. The system consists of an elastic pipe with segmented smart material located on the circumference and longitudinal regions, the circuit, and the electromechanical components. The modified coupled constitutive equations are solved using the weak form extended Ritz method. For faster convergence, this model is reduced from the exact solution of the pipe structure with proof mass offset. Initial validation with a uniform flow profile from previous work is conducted. With increasing flow velocity, the optimal power output and their frequency shifts are investigated both with and without the flow profile modification factors, to identify the level of instability. Further parametric studies with and without flow pulsation and base excitation are given.

Computational study on effects of jet fans to traffic force in highway tunnel

Traffic force induced by the piston effect of moving vehicles is a major driving force to the airflow in road tunnels. To ensure an adequate flow rate in the tunnel, an accurate estimation to the traffic force is necessary. This work investigates the influence of jet fans to the traffic force of a large vehicle in a long highway tunnel. A numerical model of airflow in the tunnel is established based on RANS (Reynolds Averaged Narvier-Stokes) equations, and dynamic mesh method is utilized to simulate the moving vehicle. Results show that, traffic force is significantly amplified when the vehicle passes the jet fans, which can be explained by the non-uniform velocity profile under the entrainment of high-speed jets. A parametric analysis is conducted to the effects of initial jet velocity, vehicle speed and ventilating velocity of tunnel. Finally, an improved correlation is proposed to evaluate the drag coefficient and traffic force of the vehicle within the affecting range of air jets.

Velocity profiles in a water jet of a Pelton nozzle: CFD simulations on both 2D and 3D geometries

Hydropower is an important energy sector deployed all over the World with a significant share in the global electricity production. Due to the ongoing climate changes, the lack of water in summer periods compromises the performance of hydraulic machines, whose efficiency quickly decreases when they operate at strong part-load conditions.Among the most known hydraulic turbines, Pelton is suitable to be used with high geodetic heights and relatively low flow rates. When dealing with flow rates 30% lower than the Best Efficiency Point (BEP), the efficiency drastically decreases mainly due to the non-uniform velocity profiles of the water jets coming out from the nozzles. The quality of the jet is affected by the distributor geometry, bending pipes and spear valves with the respective supports located upstream.The aim of this work is to investigate different velocity profiles of the water jet coming out from a Pelton nozzle geometry by means of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations performed by ANSYS® Fluent solver. Four different spear valve angles were simulated on a 2D-axisymmetric geometry, starting from a reference case of = 50° with increasing steps of 5°, maintaining a fixed positioning of the spear valve that corresponds to a partial load operation of the machine.In addition, also a 3D simulation has been carried out and the streamlines along a symmetry plane are shown. The results of the 3D simulations were compared to the 2D-axisymmetric ones taking into account the aforementioned reference case, showing how this last simplification of the computational domain leads to almost the same macroscopic results.