Open-source Computational Fluid Dynamics Software Research Articles

CFD Analysis of the Effects of a Barrier in a Hydrogen Refueling Station Mock-Up Facility during a Vapor Cloud Explosion Using the radXiFoam v2.0 Code

A CFD (computational fluid dynamics) analysis to investigate the effects of the installation of a barrier in a hydrogen refueling station (HRS) mock-up facility, with a dummy vehicle and dispensers in the vapor cloud region, during a hydrogen-air explosion using a gas mixture volume of 70.16 m3 was conducted to determine whether the radXiFoam v2.0 code with the established analysis methodology to predict the peak overpressure can be utilized to evaluate the safety of a HRS with such a barrier installed in a large city in the Republic of Korea. The radXiFoam v2.0 code was developed on the basis of the XiFoam solver in the open-source CFD software OpenFOAM-v2112 by modifying C++ source codes in several libraries and governing equations so as to ensure effective calculations of the hydrogen-air chemical reaction and radiative heat transfer through water vapor in a humid air environment and to remove unnecessary warning messages that arise when using the radXiFoam v1.0 code. First, we conducted a validation analysis on the basis of measured overpressure datasets from a near field to a far field of a vapor cloud explosion (VCE) site in the HRS mock-up facility to evaluate the uncertainty in prediction datasets by radXiFoam v2.0. After this validation analysis, we undertook CFD sensitivity calculations by installing barriers with heights of 2.1 m and 4.2 m at a horizontal distance of 2.3 m from the VCE region in the grid model used for the validation analysis to assess the effects of these barriers on reducing the peak overpressure of the blast wave. From these calculations, we judged that the radXiFoam v2.0 code can accurately simulate the effects of the barrier during a VCE, as the calculated overpressure reduction values according to the barrier height are reasonable on the basis of previous validation results from Stanford Research Institute’s explosion test with such a barrier. The results herein imply that the radXiFoam v2.0 code is feasible for use in HRS safety when barrier installation must meet the technical regulations of the Korea Gas Safety Corporation in a large city.

Study of combustion flow field in a scramjet engine under inflow oscillation variations based on OpenFOAM

In this study, a compressible supersonic numerical model was established based on the open-source computational fluid dynamics software OpenFOAM. The supersonic air inflow was set in sinusoidal variation and gas hydrogen was employed as fuel for the DLR engine numerical simulation. The SST k-ω model and a 9-species 27-reaction hydrogen/oxygen chemical reaction model was employed as the turbulence and reaction mechanical kinetics models respectively. The effect of continuous variable inflow on the combustion performance for the scramjet engine was analyzed and the results showed that the combustion flame inside the scramjet engine exhibited significant partitioning phenomena around the combustion stabilization zones under periodic continuous variable inflow conditions. It was found that intense combustion zones were formed at both upstream and downstream flow as the induction of intersecting shock waves. When the flame was stabilized in the engine, the initiation position of the intense combustion zone at the upstream was transferred to the distance of twice the strut length, while the initiation position of the intense combustion zone at the downstream was anchored at a distance of about five times the strut length.

Numerical investigation of combustion in a panela furnace using openfoam

To develop biomass combustion as a viable renewable energy source it is necessary to improve the furnace efficiency and investigate the potential of agricultural wastes as fuels. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling is a valuable tool to accomplish these objectives, OpenFOAM is a powerful open-source CFD software that has been little used in this type of application. This paper reports the study of combustion in a device of great importance for Colombia, the panela furnace, using a model developed in OpenFOAM. The combustion chamber of a Ward-Cimpa furnace, measuring 2.68 m in width and 3.32 m in height was modeled. This model was validated, by comparing the simulated values of CO and temperature at the furnace exit with data taken from literature, resulting in differences of 13.72 % and 12.23 % respectively. These discrepancies are slightly lower than those reported in other studies about the subject. The model was employed to analyze the effect of the air-flow rate on the combustion performance. The findings indicate that the increase in air-flow causes an increase in combustion activity manifested in higher temperature and CO2 emissions, which could indicate that in common operational conditions, the furnace operates under deficient air conditions and its performance could be improve by using higher air flow rates.

OpenFOAM modeling of beryllium melt motion and splashing from first wall in ITER

Beryllium (Be) is a material which will be used as a plasma facing component in ITER due to its unique properties of high thermal conductivity, low density, and high strength. However, under extreme conditions of high temperature and pressure, Be can melt at the surface of tiles and molten droplets can be ejected into the reactor leading to disruption of fusion plasma. The pressure, mass density, velocity of Be vapor, and variations of temperature at the melt layer interface can influence the splashing of Be melt. The Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model based on the OpenFOAM toolbox, a free open source CFD software package, was developed to treat the coupled flow of liquid Be metal and its vapor. The vapor-melt interface is modeled using the volume of fluid (VOF) approach implemented in the interCondensatingEvaporatingFoam solver that solves the continuity, momentum, heat conduction, and VOF equations. This CFD model is capable to predict the hydrodynamic effects of Be vapor on the melt layer motion, splashing, non-linear growth of melt waves, and ejection of molten droplets. The modeling accounts for the effects of thermal, viscous, gravitational, and surface tension forces at the vapor-melt interface. In this research, we used the interCondensatingEvaporatingFoam solver to simulate the effects of Be phase change and the development of melt motion with the droplets ejected from the surface. The CFD model accounts for inter-phase change between Be liquid and Be vapor. The evaporation model was validated against the Stefan phase-change problems. The influence of heat and mass transfer across the vapor-melt interface on melt layer stability is also investigated. The results provide an understanding of how the rate of phase change affects the development of melt structures and waves at the vapor-melt interface.

Numerical simulations of water-air-bubble mixed flows around hydrofoil and propeller

Water-air-bubble mixed flow is a complex multiphase flow usually generated due to the intense interaction between the sailing ship and the free surface[1]. A large number of bubbles scour down along the ship which gather around the propulsion system, making a significant effect on the hydrodynamic performance of propeller and hydrofoil. In this paper, the hydrodynamic performance of two-dimensional hydrofoil and three-dimensional propeller in uniformly mixed water-air-bubble incoming flow is studied by using the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) method. Euler-Euler two-fluid model is used to simulate the uniformly mixed water-air-bubble incoming flow with the open-source CFD software OpenFOAM. The feasibility of numerical simulation is verified by comparing the numerical simulation results with experimental data. On this basis, the changes of physical fields around two-dimensional hydrofoil and three-dimensional propeller caused by water-air-bubble flow under multiple air fraction conditions are discussed. In addition, the differences in dimensionless coefficients are compared between single-phase flow conditions and two-phase flow. Furthermore, the Population Balance Model (PBM) is used in the simulation of two-dimensional hydrofoil to observe the coalescence and break of bubbles.

Modelling the influence of beach building pole heights on aeolian morphology and downwind sediment transport

Buildings on beaches either sit directly on the sediment surface or are placed on poles. These structures alter near-bed airflow around them. To quantify the influence of pole height on airflow, resulting bed morphology around these buildings and sediment fluxes passing these buildings towards the dunes, three-dimensional simulations were performed. To compute airflow, we used the open-source computational fluid dynamics software OpenFOAM. For sand transport and bed level changes, we used the Exner equation combined with Bagnold's sediment transport flux formulation, and a newly-developed model that couples the airflow model with the sediment transport model AeoLiS. In the simulations, we modelled a row of ten full-scale beach buildings on a flat/smooth sandy bed, with a constant gap size between neighbouring buildings, varying the pole heights between simulations. Our findings showed that elevated buildings affect the wind speed in a larger region, both upwind and downwind, compared to buildings without poles. The model simulations showed that airflow accelerated both underneath the elevated buildings and through the gaps between the buildings. Moreover, besides flow acceleration underneath the buildings, the elevated buildings induced slightly higher flow acceleration through the gaps between buildings. Depending on pole height to building width ratio, elevated buildings could both decrease and increase the downwind sediment flux compared to an undisturbed situation. For ratios between 0 and 0.5, downwind fluxes were reduced in a zone between 5 and 40 m behind the buildings, while for ratios above 1.3, downwind fluxes were observed to increase in a zone up to 20 m behind the buildings. Also, this study emphasizes the importance of selecting an optimal pole height to maximize the benefits of beach buildings in terms of passing on sediment transport towards the dunes.

On wave–current interaction in deep and finite water depths

Interaction of linear and nonlinear, long-crested waves with currents in deep and finite water depths is studied by use of the computational fluid dynamics approach. Various wave conditions are considered by systematically changing the wave height and the wavelength. Several current profiles are studied as polynomial functions of water depth following the profiles and magnitudes of the available ocean current data. Both following and opposing currents are considered, and in total, 26 wave–current configurations are investigated. The two-dimensional study is carried out computationally by solving the Navier–Stokes equations for a laminar flow. The governing equations are solved by use of the finite volume approach in an open-source computational fluid dynamics package, namely OpenFOAM. Modifications are made to an existing wave-making toolbox, waves2Foam, to generate combined nonlinear waves and currents in deep and finite waters. Results of the numerical wave–current tank are compared with the existing laboratory measurements and overall very good agreement is observed. Discussion is provided on the effect of these currents on the change of the wave field, including quantitative change of the surface elevation, wave profile, pressure distribution, and fluid particle velocity of waves. Overall, it is observed that opposing current has a remarkable impact on the wave field, and the particle velocity and wave height are affected the most from the presence of the current.

Direct numerical simulation of compressible turbulence accelerated by graphics processing unit: An open-source high accuracy accelerated computational fluid dynamic software

This paper introduces open-source computational fluid dynamics software named open computational fluid dynamic code for scientific computation with graphics processing unit (GPU) system (OpenCFD-SCU), developed by the authors for direct numerical simulation of compressible wall-bounded turbulence. This software is based on the finite difference method and is accelerated by the use of a GPU, which provides an acceleration by a factor of more than 200 compared with central processing unit (CPU) software based on the same algorithm and a number of Message Passing Interface processes, and the running speed of OpenCFD-SCU with just 512 GPUs exceeds that of CPU software with 130 000 CPUs. GPU-Stream technology is used to implement overlap of computing and communication, achieving 98.7% parallel weak scalability with 24 576 GPUs. The software includes a variety of high-precision finite difference schemes and supports a hybrid finite difference scheme, enabling it to provide both robustness and high precision when simulating complex supersonic and hypersonic flows. When used with the wide range of supercomputers currently available, the software should be able to improve the performance of large-scale simulations by up to two orders on the computational scale. Then, OpenCFD-SCU is applied to a validation and verification case of a Mach 2.9 compression ramp with mesh numbers up to 31.2 × 109.

Investigation of wave-driven hydroelastic interactions using numerical and physical modelling approaches

Wave-driven hydroelasticity is of great importance to a wide range of applications within offshore and coastal engineering. Harnessing the benefits of hydroelasticity or minimising its impacts, depending on the application, has recently led to substantial investment in research effort in this field. However, the complex and strongly-coupled nature of the problem generally make the impacts very case specific, highlighting the importance of accurate numerical tools for assessing the impact on a case-by-case basis. Therefore, this study aims to provide novel experimental data to assist with the development of a coupled numerical methodology for simulating fully nonlinear hydroelastic interactions with highly-flexible floating structures. Novel physical data from a laboratory campaign conducted at the University of Plymouth is presented, and used as a reference for assessing the capabilities of an existing coupled numerical approach. The numerical model is a partitioned approach based within the open-source computational fluid dynamics software OpenFOAM and consisting of a two-phase fluid solver; a linear solid model for small deformations solved via the block-coupled method; and strongly-coupled through the Dirichlet–Neumann method with dynamic Aitken under-relaxation. The numerical model is shown to capture well the wave-induced deformation, and the qualitative differences between structures of varying dimensions. However, the high computational cost limits the scope of this work to 2-D, and future work should focus on optimising the approach to allow for application in 3-D problems.

Drag force-internal volume relationship for underwater gliders and drag coefficient estimation using machine learning

The relationship between drag force and internal volume of torpedo shaped underwater glider hulls has been investigated using an ensemble analysis method. Basis dimensions of 1.50 m for length and 0.20 m for diameter are selected by considering dimensions of commercial and academic gliders. 9 different forms are used for analyses in two groups (constant length and constant diameter). Nose and back sections are kept constant for all forms. The forms are analyzed in 4 different velocities and 6 different angles of attacks using the open source CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) software OpenFOAM. The ensemble resulted in 216 simulations. Simulation results are then used to estimate volumetric drag coefficient values for streamlined body of revolution hull forms under angle of attack. Multivariate linear regression machine learning method was used for the estimations and generation of empirical relation. The results show that volume increase effects gliders much more when angle of attack and glider velocity increases. However, for glider with velocities ranging from 0.3 to 0.6 m/s the increase in the volume does not contribute to drag force as much. Resulting empirical formula gives accurate estimation of drag coefficients for bodies of revolution experiencing 0–10 degrees of attack angle.

Numerical Study of Low Pr Flow in a Bare 19-Rod Bundle Based on an Advanced Turbulent Heat Transfer Model

Compared to assuming a constant turbulent Prandtl number model, an advanced four-equation model has the potential to improve the numerical heat transfer calculation accuracy of low–Prandtl number (Pr) fluids. Generally, a four-equation model consists of a two-equation k−ε turbulence model and a two-equation kθ−εθ heat transfer model. It is essential to analyze the influence of dissimilar turbulence models on the overall calculation accuracy of the four-equation model. The present study aims to study the effect of using different turbulence models on the same kθ−εθ heat transfer model. First, based on the open-source computational fluid dynamics software OpenFOAM, an advanced two-equation kθ−εθ heat transfer model was introduced into the solver buoyant2eqnFoam, which was developed based on the self-solver buoyantSimpleFoam of OpenFOAM. In the solver buoyant2eqnFoam, various turbulence models built into OpenFOAM can be conveniently called to close the Reynolds stress and an advanced two-equation heat transfer model can be utilized to calculate the Reynolds heat flux of low-Pr fluids. Subsequently, the solver buoyant2eqnFoam was employed to study the fully developed flow heat transfer of low-Pr fluids in a bare 19-rod bundle. The numerical results were compared and analyzed with the experimental correlations and other simulation results to validate the effectiveness and feasibility of the solver buoyant2eqnFoam. Furthermore, the influence of combining different turbulence models with the same two-equation kθ−εθ heat transfer model was also presented in this study. The results show that the turbulence model has a considerable influence on the prediction of turbulent heat transfer in the high Peclet number range, suggesting that it should be prudent when picking a turbulence model in the simulations of low-Pr fluids.

MagmaFOAM-1.0: a modular framework for the simulation of magmatic systems

Abstract. Numerical simulations of volcanic processes play a fundamental role in understanding the dynamics of magma storage, ascent, and eruption. The recent extraordinary progress in computer performance and improvements in numerical modeling techniques allow simulating multiphase systems in mechanical and thermodynamical disequilibrium. Nonetheless, the growing complexity of these simulations requires the development of flexible computational tools that can easily switch between sub-models and solution techniques. In this work we present MagmaFOAM, a library based on the open-source computational fluid dynamics software OpenFOAM that incorporates models for solving the dynamics of multiphase, multicomponent magmatic systems. Retaining the modular structure of OpenFOAM, MagmaFOAM allows runtime selection of the solution technique depending on the physics of the specific process and sets a solid framework for in-house and community model development, testing, and comparison. MagmaFOAM models thermomechanical nonequilibrium phase coupling and phase change, and it implements state-of-the-art multiple volatile saturation models and constitutive equations with composition-dependent and space–time local computation of thermodynamic and transport properties. Code testing is performed using different multiphase modeling approaches for processes relevant to magmatic systems: Rayleigh–Taylor instability for buoyancy-driven magmatic processes, multiphase shock tube simulations propaedeutical to conduit dynamics studies, and bubble growth and breakage in basaltic melts. Benchmark simulations illustrate the capabilities and potential of MagmaFOAM to account for the variety of nonlinear physical and thermodynamical processes characterizing the dynamics of volcanic systems.

Numerical Study of The Effect of Penstock Dimensions on a Micro-hydro System using a Computational Fluid Dynamics Approach

The performance of a micro-hydro system needs always to be improved so that the electrical power produced can be more optimal. This article aims to study numerically the effect of penstock dimensions on the potential of electrical energy in a micro-hydro system using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach. The study of the effect of dimensions on the performance of a hydropower system is still quite rare. In this paper, the impact of dimensions on the micro-hydro system has been analysed by constructing thirty simulations of water flow in the penstock consisting of five variations of penstock slope ( and ) for six penstock diameter variations ( m, m, m, m, m, and m). The simulation was built using the open-source CFD software OpenFOAM which applies the finite volume method to solve the Navier-Stokes equation as a flow model. The simulated water velocity profile is then validated against the velocity profile of the analytical solution (power-law) for turbulent flow in the pipe. Energy loss analysis on the penstock has been carried out to determine the cause of the energy loss in the penstock characterised by loss coefficient . An enormous value will impact the decrease in the electric power potential of a micro-hydro system. The total length of the penstock induces the variation of the which affects the changes in the electrical power of the micro-hydro system. The shorter will increase the electric power potential of a micro-hydro system. With a high flow velocity of water in the penstock ( m/s), the electric power increases linearly with increasing the diameter value of the penstock. The analysis results show that the penstock dimensions can affect the changes in the electric power of the micro-hydro system. In addition, the work presented in this article has shown that the CFD approach can be used as a low-cost initial step in building an actual micro-hydro system

Physics-Informed Transfer Learning Strategy to Accelerate Unsteady Fluid Flow Simulations

Since the derivation of the Navier Stokes equations, it has become possible to numerically solve real world viscous flow problems (computational fluid dynamics (CFD)). However, despite the rapid advancements in the performance of central processing units (CPUs), the computational cost of simulating transient flows with extremely small time/grid scale physics is still unrealistic. In recent years, machine learning (ML) technology has received significant attention across industries, and this big wave has propagated various interests in the fluid dynamics community. Recent ML CFD studies have revealed that completely suppressing the increase in error with the increase in interval between the training and prediction times in data driven methods is unrealistic. The development of a practical CFD acceleration methodology that applies ML is a remaining issue. Therefore, the objectives of this study were developing a realistic ML strategy based on a physics-informed transfer learning and validating the accuracy and acceleration performance of this strategy using an unsteady CFD dataset. This strategy can determine the timing of transfer learning while monitoring the residuals of the governing equations in a cross coupling computation framework. Consequently, our hypothesis that continuous fluid flow time series prediction is feasible was validated, as the intermediate CFD simulations periodically not only reduce the increased residuals but also update the network parameters. Notably, the cross coupling strategy with a grid based network model does not compromise the simulation accuracy for computational acceleration. The simulation was accelerated by 1.8 times in the laminar counterflow CFD dataset condition including the parameter updating time. Open source CFD software OpenFOAM and open-source ML software TensorFlow were used in this feasibility study.

Model of a non-transferred arc cascaded-anode plasma torch: the two-temperature formulation

This study presents an analysis of a three-dimensional unsteady two-temperature simulation of atmospheric pressure direct current electric arc inside a commercial cascaded-anode plasma spray torch; it coupled the arc model with the torch electrodes and used an open-source computational fluid dynamics software (code_saturne). The previously published models of plasma spray torch either deal with conventional plasma torches or assume local thermodynamic equilibrium in cascaded-anode plasma torches. The paper presents the computation of the two-temperature argon plasma properties, compares two enthalpy formulations that differ in association of the ionization part of enthalpy and finally demonstrates the influence of the radiation heat loss data by comparingthe results for two different literature sources. It is the first to compare different enthalpy formulations in the context of plasma torch and discuss the differences in terms of the enthalpy gains and losses. It also explains why an unphysical simulation artifact of electron temperature lower than the heavy species temperature can occur in simulated plasma flow. The solution, then, consists in associating the ionization part of enthalpy to electrons and selecting the appropriate source of the data of radiation heat loss. However, negligible thermal non-equilibrium persists even in the hot core of electric arc, which ensures that the heavy species are heated up by collisions with electrons. The flexibility of the open-source software allows all the necessary modifications and adjustments to achieve satisfactory simulation results. Thus, the paper could be considered as a manual for development of a plasma spray torch model.

Investigations into the Potential of Using Open Source CFD to Analyze the Differences in Hemodynamic Parameters for Aortic Dissections (Healthy versus Stanford Type A and B)

The objective of this study was to develop a method to evaluate the effects of an aortic dissection on hemodynamic parameters by conducting a comparison with that of a healthy (nondissected) aorta. Open-source software will be implemented, no proprietary software/application will be used to ensure accessorily and repeatability, in all the data analysis and processing. Computed tomography (CT) images of aortic dissection are used for the model geometry segmentation. Boundary conditions from literature are implemented to computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to analyze the hemodynamic parameters. A numerical simulation model was created by obtaining accurate 3-dimensional geometries of aortae from CT images. In this study, CT images of 8 cases of aortic dissection (Stanford type-A and type-B) and 3 cases of healthy aortae are used for the actual aorta model geometry segmentation. These models were exported into an open-source CFD software, OpenFOAM, where a simplified pulsating flow was simulated by controlling the flow pressure. Ten cycles of the pulsatile flow (0.50 sec/cycle) conditions, totaling 5 sec, were calculated. The pressure distribution, wall shear stress (WSS) and flow velocity streamlines within the aorta and the false lumen were calculated and visualized. It was found that the flow velocity and WSS had a high correlation in high WSS areas of the intermittent layer between the true and false lumen. Most of the Stanford type-A dissections in the study showed high WSS, over 38 Pa, at the systole phase. This indicates that the arterial walls in type-A dissections are more likely to be damaged with pulsatile flow. Using CFD to estimate localized high WSS areas may help in deciding to treat a type-A or B dissection with a stent graft to prevent a potential rupture.

Wave energy capture by an omnidirectional point sink oscillating water column system

The Oscillating Water Column (OWC) is one of the most popular Wave Energy Convertor (WEC) technologies, but the energy conversion efficiency is still very low and is a bottleneck to limit its application and commercialization. A novel OWC system comprising of a cylindrical OWC WEC and a parabolic wave reflector was proposed and a revolutionary breakthrough in the hydrodynamic efficiency was obtained. To further validate this new concept, three independent model domain scenarios are developed using the open-source computational fluid dynamics software OpenFOAM. The first simulation model investigates the hydrodynamic efficiency of the OWC in open sea conditions and the second scenario investigates the performance of the OWC when it is located adjacent to a solid, vertical wall which is orientated perpendicularly to the incident wave direction. The third model consists of a vertical wall with a parabolic opening in plan view and the OWC is located at the parabolic focal point. This novel system combines the directionally independent wave energy capture of a cylindrical OWC WEC with the particular energy focussing attribute of a parabolic reflector. The hydrodynamic efficiency performances are compared among the three cases. The hydrodynamic efficiency in the case of the OWC located adjacent to the straight solid breakwater is approximately 200% more efficient than the open seas condition. However, the hydrodynamic efficiency in the case of the OWC located at the parabolic breakwater focal point greatly outperforms the other cases and a hydrodynamic efficiency increment in the order of 650% is realized compared to the open seas condition. These findings have considerable significance for the future application of ocean wave energy convertors and their use as a viable and sustainable technology to meet the world’s energy requirements.

Numerical Investigation of Short Elliptical Twisted Tube for Reduced Fouling Rate in Steam Cracking Furnaces

In the steam cracking industry of natural gas or naphtha, fouling of tubular heat exchangers by cokes is a major issue. This growing carboneous layer has two major negative effects: 1) it increases pressure drop and 2) reduces heat transfer from the tube wall to the processed fluid. Using the open-source Computational Fluid Dynamics software OpenFOAM, this study numerically investigates wall shear stress, pressure drop and heat transfer performances of swirl decaying flow generated by different elliptical cross-section twisted tube. One of the objectives is to determine if minor modifications of tube geometry can generate swirling flow which could enhance wall shear stress at a reduce pressure drop penalty. For a Reynolds number ranging from 10, 000 to 100, 000, it is shown that the investigated geometries could enhance heat transfer by 90% at an increased pressure drop of 128% which yields a Performance Evaluation Criterion (PEC) of 1.44. The comparison between the performances of the different geometries is carried out using a newly defined PEC based on the bulk temperature, along with the usual PEC.

Research Progress in Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulations of Membrane Distillation Processes: A Review.

Membrane distillation (MD) can be used in drinking water treatment, such as seawater desalination, ultra-pure water production, chemical substances concentration, removal or recovery of volatile solutes in an aqueous solution, concentration of fruit juice or liquid food, and wastewater treatment. However, there is still much work to do to determine appropriate industrial implementation. MD processes refer to thermally driven transport of vapor through non-wetted porous hydrophobic membranes, which use the vapor pressure difference between the two sides of the membrane pores as the driving force. Recently, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation has been widely used in MD process analysis, such as MD mechanism and characteristics analysis, membrane module development, preparing novel membranes, etc. A series of related research results have been achieved, including the solutions of temperature/concentration polarization and permeate flux enhancement. In this article, the research of CFD applications in MD progress is reviewed, including the applications of CFD in the mechanism and characteristics analysis of different MD structures, in the design and optimization of membrane modules, and in the preparation and characteristics analysis of novel membranes. The physical phenomena and geometric structures have been greatly simplified in most CFD simulations of MD processes, so there still is much work to do in this field in the future. A great deal of attention has been paid to the hydrodynamics and heat transfer in the channels of MD modules, as well as the optimization of these modules. However, the study of momentum transfer, heat, and mass transfer mechanisms in membrane pores is rarely involved. These projects should be combined with mass transfer, heat transfer and momentum transfer for more comprehensive and in-depth research. In most CFD simulations of MD processes, some physical phenomena, such as surface diffusion, which occur on the membrane surface and have an important guiding significance for the preparation of novel membranes to be further studied, are also ignored. As a result, although CFD simulation has been widely used in MD process modeling already, there are still some problems remaining, which should be studied in the future. It can be predicted that more complex mechanisms, such as permeable wall conditions, fouling dynamics, and multiple ionic component diffusion, will be included in the CFD modeling of MD processes. Furthermore, users’ developed routines for MD processes will also be incorporated into the existing commercial or open source CFD software packages.

Flow Structure Transition and Hysteresis of Turbulent Mixed Convection Induced by a Transverse Buoyant Jet

The large eddy simulation approach is conducted using the dynamic Smagorinsky model and Favre-averaging method to investigate the flow structure transition and hysteresis phenomenon of mixed convection induced by a transverse buoyant jet, based on the opensource computational fluid dynamics package of the OpenFOAM software. The comparison with the available experimental data proves that this model has good adaptability in reproducing the flow structure and temperature distribution of such a flow field. The results are obtained for Reynolds numbers ranging from 120 to 792, and Rayleigh numbers ranging from 1.8×109 to 6.5×109. Two types of stable flow structures are observed and systematically studied for different dimensionless parameters, i.e., a clockwise structure dominated by the inertial force, and a counterclockwise structure dominated by the buoyancy force. A hysteresis phenomenon is observed in the flow structure transition, corresponding to the noncoincidence of the first and second transition points. Furtherly, the critical points of transition for different hysteresis curves are highlighted in a Reynolds-number–Rayleigh-number map indicating three flow-regime zones. The transition of flow structure occurs only when the state point moves from the transition zone to another zone across the transition curve.