Numerical Experimental Investigation Research Articles

Numerical simulation and experimental investigation on friction and lubrication behaviors of chevron micro-textured valve plate/cylinder block interface with various area densities

Abstract As the critical friction pairs of swashplate-type axial piston pumps, the cylinder block/valve plate lubricating interface is the primary source of friction, wear, and leakage in axial piston pumps. Surface micro-texturing has been widely employed in various manufacturing industries to ameliorate the tribological performance. The influence of chevron micro-texture area density on the tribological behaviors and lubricating properties of cylinder block/valve plate interface is experimentally and numerically researched in the present paper. The chevron micro-textures with various area densities were characterized with scanning electron microscope (SEM) and laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM). The friction and wear performance of H62 brass/38CrMoAl conjunctions were obtained via disc-on-disc tribological tests to simulate the cylinder block/valve plate lubricating interface. Moreover, the load-carrying capacity of untextured and chevron micro-textured samples were numerically investigated under hydrodynamic lubrication. It was found that the surface with the chevron micro-textured area density of 30.1% displayed the lowest friction coefficient and shallowest wear depth. Although the load carrying capacity of chevron micro-textured samples with the high dimple area density was larger, the severe stress concentration induced by the reduced micro-texture spacing caused the increment and large fluctuations of friction coefficient.

Rotationally Induced Local Heat Transfer Features in a Two-Pass Cooling Channel: Experimental–Numerical Investigation

Turbine blades for modern turbomachinery applications often exhibit complex twisted designs that aim to reduce aerodynamic losses, thereby improving the overall machine performance. This results in intricate internal cooling configurations that change their spanwise orientation with respect to the rotational axis. In the present study, the local heat transfer in a generic two-pass turbine cooling channel is investigated under engine-similar rotating conditions (Ro={0…0.50}) through the transient Thermochromic Liquid Crystal (TLC) measurement technique. Three different angles of attack (α={−18.5°;+8°;+46.5°}) are investigated to emulate the heat transfer characteristics in an internal cooling channel of a real turbine blade application at different spanwise positions. A numerical approach based on steady-state Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) simulations in ANSYS CFX is validated against the experimental method, showing generally good agreement and, thus, qualifying for future heat transfer predictions. Experimental and numerical data clearly demonstrate the substantial impact of the angle of attack on the local heat transfer structure, especially for the radially outward flow of the first passage, owing to the particular Coriolis force direction at each angle of attack. Furthermore, results underscore the strong influence of the rotational speed on the overall heat transfer level, with an enhancement effect for the radially outward flow (first passage) and a reduction effect for the radially inward flow (second passage).

Experimental–numerical investigation of aerodynamics effects produced by the rear wing mainplane deformation in a formula 1 racing vehicle

Experimental–numerical investigation of aerodynamics effects produced by the rear wing mainplane deformation in a formula 1 racing vehicle

Numerical modelling and experimental investigations to predict the tool wear of copper electrodes during µ-EDM process

The micro electrical discharge machining (µ-EDM) process is one of the most widely used techniques to produce miniaturized components in micro-electro mechanical system (MEMS) applications due to its inherent advantages. This work investigates the wear phenomena and the morphology of the copper electrodes during the micro-die sinking process. A numerical model of a single spark is developed assuming the Gaussian distribution of heat flux to estimate the crater dimensions formed in the copper tool electrode (tool wear) used as a result of electric discharge. The crater dimension attained from the ABAQUS finite element model is validated with experimental results using a single spark test setup. Moreover, the effect of input parameters namely capacitance and voltage on the electrode wear rate and surface roughness is also studied. The crater dimensions from the single discharge study are used to formulate the wear model for different possibilities of crater distribution, such as non-overlapping craters, craters with less than 30 % overlap, and 50 % overlap. The electrode wear rate (EWR) also displayed a decline from 20.4 % to 11.6 % and further to 8 % when the overlap was permitted up to 30 % and up to 50 % for the wear model respectively. The developed model results are further compared with experimental results in terms of the electrode wear rate and depth of erosion and the deviations are found to be 20.33 % and 20.55 % respectively

Thermal performance augmentation of microchannel using curved rectangular winglet vortex generators having rectangular perforation

This article innovatively introduces the application of punched curved rectangular wing vortex generators positioned on opposing sides of a rectangular microchannel. Through a comprehensive approach combining numerical simulations and experimental investigations, the flow dynamics and heat transfer performance of these VGs under turbulent conditions are thoroughly examined. This analysis is performed in the turbulent flow regime, specifically at Reynolds number ranging from 2500 to 3500. The governing equations are solved by using SST k-ω model. To evaluate the behavior of mixed vortices, a range of key metrics is utilized, including the Nusselt number ratio, friction coefficient ratio, and thermal enhancement factor (TEF). The study encompasses variations in opening angles (θ = 0°, 5°, 10°, 15°) and pitch ratios (PR = P/H = 15, 30, 45) to determine their impact on the overall system performance. The findings reveal that the punched curved rectangular winglet VGs effectively induce mixed vortices, leading to an enhancement in local heat transfer rates. However, the presence of fluid jets hinders the formation of other vortices. Compared to a smooth tube, the maximum TEF also experiences a 26 % rise. To validate the findings, the field synergy principle and entropy generation theory was utilized.

Numerical approach and experimental investigation of a stratified hot water storage tank for domestic hot water production

Thermal stratification within storage tanks plays a critical role in the efficiency of thermal energy storage systems. In this paper, one-dimensional numerical model of a stratified storage tank is developed to simulate the thermal stratification process within a storage tank during the charging and the discharging processes, capturing the temperature distribution inside the storage tank over time. This work investigates the evolution and transient behavior of stratified flows during the heating and cooling process within sensible-heat energy storage systems under ReD=167 and ReD=616 for heating process. For that purpose, an experimental campaign was performed in an instrumented water storage tank to measure the stratification process when a hot water round jet was injected into a slender cylindrical tank filled with an initially uniform hydrostatic water field stabilized at a lower temperature. This information was used to develop a simple 1D model able to be applied during long-term charging/discharging transients of these kind of systems. The 1D model developed was validated against the experiments performed following prototypical charging/discharging tests according to the standard EN16147 and can be used to describe the energy performance of this kind of systems during long-term charging/discharging sequences. The present model provides a reduction of about 5% of the error of the time of the water cooling process with respect to other models in the literature.

Modeling of a metal hydride energy storage tank dynamics using hybrid numerical, experimental, and machine learning methods

This study presents an integrated analysis combining numerical simulations, experimental investigations, and machine learning models to simulate the performance of metal hydride systems for hydrogen storage under various conditions by using a LaNi5 metal hydride cylindrical tank of 500 NL capacity, with a focus on PCM thermal enhancements and surface water heating and cooling. Numerical simulations offer insights into thermal and reaction dynamics, while experimental data are used for model validation and supplemented with additional numerical data for training a FFNN model to predict dynamic hydrogen flow, surface temperature, and surface heat flux. The obtained mean RMSEs for charging/discharging experimental data is 2.8 SOC% for the state of charge and 0.3 °C for surface temperatures. The study compares the effectiveness of water cooling and heating in metal hydride surface across different temperatures, highlighting their impact on the efficiency of hydrogen absorption and desorption processes. Energy consumption is shown to be non-linear; during charging, heat flux peaks before decreases rapidly within around 0.2 h. During discharging, heat flux rises steadily. The study also explores the impact of adding copper fins to the PCM covering metal hydride system, revealing significant improvements in charging and discharging efficiency, specifically, the integration of 16 copper fins led to a notable decrease in complete charging time from approximately 6.5 h to just over 5.2 h, and in complete discharging time from around 4.5 h to under 3.96 h. Using PCM, the highest heat flux is 5 times less during charge and 2 times less during discharge than that for water cooling mode.

High-throughput single cell analysis using multi-focus Raman spectroscopy under randomly interleaved scattering projection

Raman microspectroscopy is a powerful tool for label-free monitoring of single-cell dynamics. However, the traditional single-point acquisition mode is extremely inefficient because it only analyzes one cell at a time. We propose a method that combines multi-focus Raman excitation with random interleaving of scattering projections. The approach uses a time-sharing multi-focus array to simultaneously excite multiple biological cells and synchronously projects their Raman spectra into a single spectral channel with varying shifts. The spectral shifts of the cells are randomly interleaved during data acquisition, resulting in a sequence of mixed spectra from which a compressive sensing method is utilized to reconstruct the time-lapse Raman spectra of the individual cells. The method’s feasibility and performance are validated by numerical modeling and experimental investigations into biological spore germination. The results indicated that the throughput of single cell analysis can be increased by up to a factor of 15. The reconstructed spectra of the individual cells demonstrated exceptional fidelity, faithfully capturing the cellular changes in the individual cells. The developed technology paves the way towards high-throughput, label-free monitoring of living single cells, which has promising applications in cell biology.

Prediction of the keyhole TIG welding-induced distortions on Inconel 718 industrial gas turbine component by numerical-experimental approach

Welding technologies represent a paramount joining process for ensuring the quality and reliability of critical industrial components; therefore, their innovation constitutes a driving force in realizing increasingly competitive products. A recently developed technology is the keyhole TIG welding, a new high energy–density alternative to the conventional TIG process. A key role in improving innovative manufacturing processes such as the keyhole TIG is covered by numerical simulation; indeed, it allows the development of a process digital twin able to support decisions and work as a predictive tool. Within this framework, the paper deals with the numerical-experimental investigation of the keyhole TIG technology, successfully employed on a simplified mock-up of an industrial gas turbine component consisting of two 6.5-mm-thick Inconel 718 rings. Numerical analysis aimed at predicting welding-induced distortions was performed employing two different computational approaches, namely the moving heat source and the simplified imposed thermal cycle methods. The numerical-experimental comparison of the results demonstrates an innovative approach in the field of the current keyhole TIG numerical simulation since, besides verification of numerical thermal analysis, further substantial validation of the post-weld distortion predictions is provided through comprehensive three-dimensional experimental data. Moreover, the comparative assessment of the two computational approaches and experimental evidence revealed that the imposed thermal cycle method implementation does not compromise the accuracy of welding distortion forecasting in industrial applications such as that investigated. Therefore, it can be regarded as a valuable tool for supporting the process engineer in designing the ideal set-up to comply with a variety of industrial requirements, among them strict design tolerances.

Numerical Simulation and Experimental Investigation of Microstructure Evolution and Flow Behavior in the Rheological Squeeze Casting Process of A356 Alloy

Numerical Simulation and Experimental Investigation of Microstructure Evolution and Flow Behavior in the Rheological Squeeze Casting Process of A356 Alloy

Real-time induced magnetic vibrational based antifouling mechanism for ultrafiltration (UF) membrane

Despite the widespread adoption of membrane technologies for efficient water treatment, membrane fouling remains a significant challenge, reducing separation efficiency, shortening lifespan, and increasing operational costs. Various studies have explored chemical membrane modifications to mitigate fouling, often resulting in adverse effects on flux and selectivity. Based on numerical modeling and experimental investigation, this work introduces real-time induced magnetic vibration as a sustainable approach for membrane antifouling without compromising permeability and selectivity. By preventing or delaying particle deposition on the membrane surface, magnetic vibration reduces fouling intensity. Experimental results demonstrated that different frequencies of magnetic vibration influenced the deposition of foulants (Humic Acid and Sodium Alginate) on the membrane surface. Notably, vibrating the membrane at 10 Hz with centrally attached iron particles led to a 22.4 % reduction in flux when treated with Humic Acid, compared to a 33.9 % reduction without vibration. Exposure to vibrations at the resonance frequency (5 Hz) for 6 h resulted in only a 10 % reduction in flux, effectively preventing the formation of a dense cake layer. Similarly, in the case of Sodium Alginate, a 10 Hz vibration for 2 h decreased the flux reduction from 21.4 % without vibration to 7.3 %, suggesting the preventive effect of vibration on aggregated SA deposition or facilitating continuous displacement for flux retention. Moreover, the study examined the influence of the configuration of iron particles attached to the membranes on the effectiveness of vibration. The study revealed that a striped configuration was more effective than a centralized configuration, owing to the distributed vibration effect across each part of the membrane. Furthermore, the fouling mechanism and rejection percentage were further investigated to enhance understanding of the fouling processes.

Engineering ratchet-based particle separation via extended shortcuts to isothermality.

Microscopic particle separation plays a vital role in various scientific and industrial domains. Conventional separation methods relying on external forces or physical barriers inherently exhibit limitations in terms of efficiency, selectivity, and adaptability across diverse particle types. To overcome these limitations, researchers are constantly exploring new separation approaches, among which ratchet-based separation is a noteworthy method. However, in contrast to the extensive numerical studies and experimental investigations on ratchet separation, its theoretical exploration appears weak, particularly lacking in the analysis of energy consumption involved in the separation processes. The latter is of significant importance for achieving energetically efficient separation. In this paper, we propose a nonequilibrium thermodynamic approach, extending the concept of shortcuts to isothermality, to realize controllable separation of overdamped Brownian particles with low energy cost. By utilizing a designed ratchet potential with temporal period τ, we find in the slow-driving regime that the average particle velocity v[over ¯]_{s}∝(1-D/D^{*})τ^{-1}, indicating that particles with different diffusion coefficients D can be guided to move in distinct directions with a preset D^{*}. It is revealed that an inevitable portion of the energy cost in separation depends on the driving dynamics of the ratchet, with an achievable lower bound W_{ex}^{(min)}∝L^{2}|v[over ¯]_{s}|. Here, L is the thermodynamic length of the driving loop in the parametric space. With a sawtooth potential, we numerically test the theoretical findings and illustrate the optimal separation protocol associated with W_{ex}^{(min)}. Finally, for practical considerations, we compare our approach with the conventional ratchets in terms of separation velocity and energy consumption. The scalability of the current framework for separating various particles in two-dimensional space is also demonstrated. This paper bridges the gap between thermodynamic process control and particle separation, paving the way for further thermodynamic optimization in ratchet-based particle separation.

Numerical modelling and experimental investigation of incremental sheet metal forming of Aluminum Alloy Al 3003-O

Abstract Incremental sheet forming (ISF) is an unconventional sheet metal forming technique that can be widely used in the automotive, medical, and aerospace industries. The final product is achieved by moving a rotating tool along a defined spiral or profile tool path controlled by a CNC milling machine. A truncated cone shape was modeled in single point incremental forming (SPIF) to investigate the influence of step size, and sheet initial thickness parameters on the forming force components Fx , Fy , Fz during the forming process.

Performance enhanced magnetic negative stiffness eddy-current damper: Numerical simulation and experimental investigation

Passive negative stiffness dampers (NSDs) possess significant advantages and promising application prospects in the field of structural vibration control. NSDs with high energy dissipation capability are desired to satisfy the vibration mitigation requirements for large-scale engineering structures, such as high-rise buildings and long-span bridges. However, in practical applications, due to the constraints of mounting space and additional weight, the negative stiffness and damping coefficient of existing NSDs are generally not very large and with poor adjustability. To overcome these limitations, this study develops a novel magnetic negative stiffness eddy-current damper (MNSECD) with enhanced overall performance. This damper consists of a magnetic negative stiffness system (MNSS), a multi-layer-plate-type eddy-current damping system (ECDS) in parallel, and a bidirectional ball screw transmission system. Firstly, different magnetic arrays are designed to optimize the magnetic fields of the MNSECD, and to enhance its magnetic negative stiffness and eddy-current damping without adding extra dimensions and weight. Subsequently, the electromagnetic finite-element models (FEMs) of the MNSECD are established to precisely simulate its magnetic negative stiffness and eddy-current damping forces, and these models are further utilized to elucidate the enhancement mechanism of different magnetic arrays. Finally, based on the numerical simulation results, the best performing magnetic array is selected respectively for the ECDS and MNSS systems to carry out experimental studies on a small-scale prototype. Numerical and experimental results indicate that the selected magnetic array for the MNSS proves highly effective in enhancing the magnetic negative stiffness of the MNSECD, while the selected magnetic array for the ECDS also demonstrates superior effectiveness in enhancing the eddy-current damping of the damper. These findings suggest that the novel MNSECD can be readily used in the vibration control of large-scale engineering structures.

Comparative study of numerical modelling and experimental investigation for vessel-docking operations

A comparative study between numerical modelling and experimental investigation is performed to validate the developed numerical method for simulating floating dock operations with a vessel on board. Both model-scale and full-scale experimental tests are performed on floating docks with a vessel on board, and the draughts using draught meters, floating positions and bending of the floating dock are measured. The present numerical method is proposed based on a quasi-static assumption during vessel-docking operations. A static analysis model is built to determine the static response of a floating dock under a specific ballast water distribution based on a hydrostatic force model and a Newton-Raphson method. A bending model is proposed to calculate the deflection of the floating dock along the longitudinal direction. Results of the mode-scale tests show that the draught measurements and the floating positions of the dock and vessel predicted using the present numerical method agree well with the corresponding experimental results. It proves the accuracy of the present numerical method for simulating vessel-docking operations. Moreover, a well-designed ballast plan enables successful de-ballasting operations on the model-scale dock, even in the event of one to three pump failures. The comparison of the deflection changes of the floating dock in the field test measurements further proves the accuracy of the present bending model. Therefore, the validated numerical model tested on both model-scale and full-scale docks provides a reliable foundation for creating digital twin of floating docks in shipyards.

Centrifuge modelling of the dynamic response of twin tunnels under train-induced vibration load

The impact of train-induced vibrations originating from underground tunnels has emerged as a significant environmental issue within urban areas. A multitude of studies, encompassing both numerical analyses and experimental investigations, have been undertaken to explore and address this concern. In the experimental tests, the dynamic characteristics of tunnels and soil has generally been studied using physical models with a single tunnel under a 1 g (gravity) environment. However, twin tunnels are commonly constructed in the field, and the stress of the soil is unrealistically simulated in 1 g models. In this paper, the dynamic characteristics of twin tunnels were studied by centrifuge testing. In this paper, results are presented from scaled model tunnel tests conducted at 50 g for four different conditions: a single tunnel, vertical twin tunnels with 60 mm spacing, horizontal twin tunnels with 60 mm and 120 mm spacing. Train load and sweep load were applied by a parallel pre-stressed actuator at the tunnel invert. Accelerometers were employed to gauge the dynamic response of both the tunnels and the surrounding soil. The experimental results illustrate that the interaction between twin tunnels has a clear amplification effect on the dynamic response of the loading tunnel, with the maximum peak particle acceleration (PPA) increasing by up to 43 %. This amplification phenomenon is reduced as the space between the twin tunnels is increased. The experimental results also indicate that the interaction between twin tunnels has a comparatively lower impact on the dynamic response of the surrounding soil when contrasted with the dynamic response of the tunnels themselves.

Numerical simulation and experimental investigation of coating influence on extrusion tap wear

In order to improve the service life of extrusion taps and reduce their wear, this paper adopted the coating-simulation technology to investigate the influence laws of tool coating type and coating thickness on extrusion torque, extrusion temperature and wear amount. The validity of the numerical simulation results is confirmed through internal thread extrusion experiments. The results showed that the extrusion torque and extrusion temperature of single-layer coating and composite coating showed a tendency of decreasing and then increasing with the increase of the coating thickness; the extrusion torque and extrusion temperature of the double-layer coating increased with the increase of the coating thickness; the wear amount of the three types of coatings increased with the increase of the coating thickness. The TiAlN single coating demonstrates the most pronounced impact on decreasing extrusion torque and temperature (3.82 N·m and 88.4 °C), resulting in a smooth extrusion process. The TiAlN–TiAlN double coating exhibits the lowest wear amount of 0.076 mm. The utilization of numerical simulation proves to be a dependable approach for evaluating the efficacy of tool coatings, and reasonable selection of coating type and thickness can effectively reduce the extrusion torque, extrusion temperature and wear amount.

ERT-based fetus monitoring system using wearable conductive fabrics

Abstract During pregnancy, it is important to monitor the health of the fetus and fetal movement count is one of the key parameters that can be used to check the health of the fetus. Consequently, there is growing interest in developing non-invasive passive methods for fetal monitoring techniques that can be used outside of clinical settings. This study introduces a home-use system based on electrical resistance tomography that pregnant mothers can utilize for fetus monitoring. The setup utilizes a conductive fabric, functioning as electronic skin (e-skin), positioned on the mother’s abdomen to detect alterations in the fabric’s electrical characteristics caused by fetal movements. This method is validated through both numerical simulations and experimental investigations, which assess conductivity changes on the fabric’s surface in reaction to localized pressure fluctuations, mimicking fetal motions.

Insight on Interfacial Microstructure and Corrosion Characteristics of Mg/Al Explosive Welded Composite Plates

Interfacial corrosion performance is crucial to the reliability of Mg/Al explosively welded composite plates. Nevertheless, more understanding is required concerning such interfacial corrosion. In this work, a combination of numerical simulation and experimental investigation was used to clarify the microstructure evolutions of AZ80‐Mg alloy/1060‐Al explosively welded composite plate. The formation of interfacial wave structure and the thermodynamic state were insighted through numerical simulation, which further enhanced the correlation between the interfacial microstructural heterogeneities and the interfacial corrosion characteristics. Galvanic corrosion was produced by the significant potential difference between the AZ80‐Mg and 1060‐Al, with multiple micro‐galvanic couples in the vortex zone. The corrosion occurred near the interface and gradually advanced away from the interface. After 1 h, the composite plates exhibited severe corrosion with deep pits on the Mg side, while the Al side was less affected. Within the vortex, however, the Mg‐rich region underwent little corrosion, whereas the Al‐rich region underwent significant corrosion, attributed to the increase in pH value caused by the Mg corrosion.

Numerical Simulation and Experimental Investigation of Single-Point Picosecond Laser Ablation inside K9 Glass

K9 glass is a classical transparent material widely used in high-power optical systems due to its high-temperature resistance. However, the precision machining of K9 glass is difficult. The laser processing method, characterized by being non-contact, having a small heat-affected zone, and having high processing precision, is commonly employed for processing intricate structures. In this study, the vector diffraction model is employed to simulate the internal electric field inside the material when focused by objective lenses with varying numerical apertures. Furthermore, the temperature field is simulated. The simulation considered the nonlinear absorption of the material, the stretching of the focal dot due to spherical aberration, and the energy loss of the laser during the focusing process. The experiment indicated that the ablated area consists of numerous small, ablated dots and that multiple ablated areas emerged under an NA of 0.6. This study can provide valuable references for the research of the interaction between lasers and glass materials.