Flow Regime Research Articles

Nonlinear transient analysis of water lubricated bearing in the turbulent regime.

Influence of turbulence on the stability characteristics of a water lubricated journal bearing is analyzed. Locus of the journal centre is plotted using the non - linear transient analysis method for different flow regimes of the bearing subjected to three different types of loading. The bearing groove angles of 18o and 36o is considered for the analysis. Turbulent coefficients are incorporated in the modified form of Reynolds equation which is solved using the 4th order Runge-Kutta method. The path traversed by journal centre is generated for different loading conditions and the stability of the bearing is examined. For periodic and fluctuating rotating loads, the journal centre traversed shorter path and reached stable position when the flow regime changed from laminar to turbulent.

Impacts of river flow and thermal regimes on fish growth dynamics during early life history

Growth during early life stages is critical to fish population persistence. Few studies explore how river discharge and thermal regimes impact growth dynamics of young-of-the-year (YOY) fishes. We used otolith biochronologies and generalised additive mixed models to partition the effects of age, individual, river, temperature, discharge, and variance in discharge on daily growth rates of YOY fishes with an opportunistic life-history strategy: Galaxias vulgaris and Gobiomorphus breviceps. Growth of both species increased with temperature. Galaxias growth decreased with discharge, while Gobiomorphus growth increased with lowered discharge but only to a point (ca. 1/3 of median discharge), after which growth plateaued. Floods had a strong negative effect on YOY growth. Our study systems and species had different characteristics to those that formed the basis of the Riverscape Recruitment Synthesis Model (RRSM) and may explain why our results were only partially consistent with flow predictions for opportunistic species of the RRSM. Further, Galaxias growth was a negative function of high-frequency, daily variation in flow, and we present testable hypotheses to explain this result.

Well Pattern optimization as a planning process using a novel developed optimization algorithm

Determination of optimum well location and operational settings for existing and new wells is crucial for maximizing production in field development. These optimum conditions depend on geological and petrophysical factors, fluid flow regimes, and economic variables. However, conducting numerous simulations for various parameters can be time-consuming and costly. Also, due to the high dimension of the possible solutions, there is still no general approach to address this problem. The application of searching algorithm as a general approach to solve such problems has received much attention in recent years. In this study, the efficiency, and reliability of genetic algorithm, particle swarm optimization and in particular a newly developed algorithm was analyzed and compared. The novelty of this work is the integrated algorithm, which improves searching performance by leveraging the memorizing characteristics of the particle swarm optimization algorithm to enhance genetic algorithm efficiency. In traditional genetic algorithms, solutions lacking adequate qualifications are deleted from the algorithmic process; however, the new algorithm provides these solutions with additional opportunities to prove themselves by acquiring new velocities from particle swarm optimization. The results indicate that while the genetic algorithm and particle swarm optimization do not guarantee optimal outcomes, the newly developed algorithm outperforms both methods. This performance was tested across various scenarios focused on well pattern optimization, highlighting its innovative contribution to the field development.

Numerical and Experimental Simulation of Supersonic Gas Outflow into a Low-Density Medium

This study is aimed at developing methods for the experimental and numerical simulation of the outflow of underexpanded gas jets into a rarefied medium. The numerical method is based on using Navier–Stokes equations in the continuum flow regime and the direct simulation Monte Carlo method in the transitional flow regime. The experimental method includes the modeling of jet flows in the LEMPUS-2 gas-dynamic setup with electron beam diagnostics for the jet density measurements. The results of the experimental modeling for the nozzles of various diameters confirm that a key parameter determining the jet structure is the Reynolds number based on the characteristic length ReL. The results of the numerical simulations agree well with the experimental data both for the maximum values of the ReL considered (approximately 30) when a barrel jet structure with Mach disks is formed and for the minimum values (approximately 4) when no Mach disks are formed. In the entire range of parameters, significant thermal nonequilibrium is observed at all jet segments where the measurements are performed.

Flow rates alter the outcome of coral bleaching and growth experiments

It is important to consider flow rate explicitly in coral growth and bleaching studies across multiple species with differing life histories to guide coral conservation, management and captive culture. We quantified growth rates and coral bleaching responses to thermal stress (approx. 18 DHW) in flow-through aquaria with various current velocities to test whether flow conditions alter experimental outcomes. Across natural flow rates (< 1 to over 50 cm/sec), Montipora capitata, Pocillopora acuta, and Pocillopora meandrina showed increased growth and bleaching recovery at intermediate flow rates. Growth rates for all species increased from no flow to intermediate (50–100 turnovers-per-hour, ~ 10–30 cm/s), but then decreased at highest flow (> 190 tph, > 50 cm/s) although this trend was not significant for P. meandrina. The flow treatment with highest recovery from temperature stress differed across species, ranging from 4 tph in the flow-loving P. meandrina to 210 tph in the lagoonal M. capitata, indicating that natural flow regime alone is not predictive. Fragments from the same individual (e.g., P. acuta colony 8) held under identical thermal conditions continue bleaching and die under one flow regime (4 tph), whereas they recover from bleaching (30 tph) or grow fastest (105 tph) under different flow treatments. Flow is rarely reported in the literature, but uncontrolled flow effects may help to explain some of the variation in coral bleaching results reported across the literature. Significant differences among individual colonies, and colony-by-flow interactions, preclude generalizations beyond that flow rates can alter the outcome of both coral growth and bleaching experiments.

Impact of Leading-Edge Tubercles on Airfoil Aerodynamic Performance and Flow Patterns at Different Reynolds Numbers

In recent years, leading-edge tubercles have gained significant attention as an innovative biomimetic flow control technique. This paper explores their impact on the aerodynamic performance and flow patterns of an airfoil through wind tunnel experiments, utilizing force measurements and tuft visualization at Reynolds numbers between 2.7 × 105 and 6.3 × 105. The baseline airfoil exhibits a hysteresis loop near the stall angle, with sharp changes in lift coefficient during variations in the angle of attack (AOA). In contrast, the airfoil with leading-edge tubercles demonstrates a smoother stall process and enhanced post-stall performance, though its pre-stall performance is slightly reduced. The study identifies four distinct flow regimes on the modified airfoil, corresponding to different segments of the lift coefficient curve. As the AOA increases, the flow transitions through stages of full attachment, trailing-edge separation, and local leading-edge separation across some or all valley sections. Additionally, the study suggests that normalizing aerodynamic performance based on the valley section chord length is more effective, supporting the idea that leading-edge tubercles function like a series of delta wings in front of a straight-leading-edge wing. These insights provide valuable guidance for the design of blades with leading-edge tubercles in applications such as wind and tidal turbines.

Genomic Vulnerability to Climate Change of an Australian Migratory Freshwater Fish, the Golden Perch (Macquaria ambigua).

Genomic vulnerability is a measure of how much evolutionary change is required for a population to maintain optimal genotype-environment associations under projected climates. Aquatic species, and in particular migratory ectotherms, are largely underrepresented in studies of genomic vulnerability. Such species might be well equipped for tracking suitable habitat and spreading diversity that could promote adaptation to future climates. We characterised range-wide genomic diversity and genomic vulnerability in the migratory and fisheries-important golden perch (Macquaria ambigua) from Australia's expansive Murray-Darling Basin (MDB). The MDB has a steep hydroclimatic gradient and is one of the world's most variable regions in terms of climate and streamflow. Golden perch are threatened by fragmentation and obstruction of waterways, alteration of flow regimes, and a progressively hotter and drying climate. We gathered a genomic dataset of 1049 individuals from 186 MDB localities. Despite high range-wide gene flow, golden perch in the warmer, northern catchments had higher predicted vulnerability than those in the cooler, southern catchments. A new cross-validation approach showed that these predictions were insensitive to the exclusion of individual catchments. The results raise concern for populations at warm range edges, which may already be close to their thermal limits. However, a population with functional variants beneficial for climate adaptation found in the most arid and hydrologically variable catchment was predicted to be less vulnerable. Native fish management plans, such as captive breeding and stocking, should consider spatial variation in genomic vulnerability to improve conservation outcomes under climate change, even for dispersive species with high connectivity.

Convolutional neural network augmented soft-sensor for autonomous microfluidic production of uniform bubbles

Microfluidics has emerged as a foundational process for creating highly uniform emulsions and bubbles. To enable integration of microfluidic platforms into industrial processes, achieving precise control over the size uniformity of microfluidic-generated bubbles and emulsions is crucial. Even if the external variables such as flow rates or pressures are kept constant, microfluidic processes can be easily disturbed by unknown factors that would substantially compromise the uniformity of resulting emulsions and bubbles. In this study, we introduce a two-step soft-sensor approach that combines a convolutional neural network (CNN) and an image recognition algorithm for feature extraction to detect both the flow regime and the size and uniformity of resulting bubbles. By using a CNN to detect flow regimes, our controller is able to restore the bubble-producing flow regime in response to disturbances. Beyond self-recovery, our controller actively adjusts to minimize errors, maintain setpoints, mitigate disturbances, and ensure system stability over extended periods. 99.2% of bubbles produced during an 8-hour period remain within 5% of the setpoint with our controller acting. By leveraging the soft sensor and artificial intelligence-assisted feedback control, our work presents a widely applicable approach for precise and automated control of microfluidics in diverse applications.

Numerical Investigation of Flow Inside a Channel with Elastic Vortex Generator and Elastic Wall for Heat Transfer Enhancement

In the present investigation, a detailed numerical investigation of the flow and heat transfer characteristics of a channel with an elastic fin (vortex generator) and an elastic wall has been carried out using finite element method. The Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI) model is used to capture the interaction between the fluid and the solid structure. A sinusoidal time dependent velocity profile has been imposed at the inlet of the channel and the right half of the upper wall of the channel is heated and exposed to constant temperature boundary condition. Due to the sinusoidal velocity profile at the inlet, the elastic fin oscillates periodically and act as a vortex generator, which causes more turbulence in the flow. The obtained results showed that the Nusselt number over the heated wall is affected by the position of the flexible fin, height of flexible fin and elasticity modulus of elastic fin. Moreover, due to the elasticity of the elastic wall and sinusoidal behavior of the inlet velocity, the elastic wall oscillates periodically upward and downward. The Nusselt number values over the heated wall are increased with decrease of the elastic modulus value of the elastic wall. However, the decrease in elastic modulus value of the elastic wall contributes to an increase in the pressure drop inside the channel. It should be added that the interplay between the fluid motion and the deformable structures leads to enhanced turbulence, as the flexible fin and elastic wall introduce additional disturbances and fluctuations into the flow regime. Consequently, this heightened turbulence level has profound implications for heat transfer processes within the system.

A novel relaxed modified pipe hydrodynamic model for mixed flow simulation

In this study, we propose a novel modified pipe hydrodynamic model with a partial relaxation approach and develop a corresponding numerical algorithm within the framework of the finite volume method for its computation to enable robust, accurate, and comprehensive pipe modeling. The proposed numerical model provides some key improvements compared to existing numerical schemes for simulating mixed pipe flows: (1) it is capable of preserving both moving- and stationary-water steady states, and (2) it effectively reduces post-bore oscillations while maintaining second-order accuracy in the non-pressurized regime for unsteady pipe flows. Such improvements have been verified against theoretical and experimental data through tests involving both smooth and sharp-gradient steady and unsteady flows across various regimes in straight and locally bent circular pipes, which are fundamental elements of stormwater drainage, sewage networks, and industrial process pipelines. The proposed pipe flow model can be further improved regarding post-pore stability by utilizing specific post-bore oscillation suppression techniques, and it can be integrated into a practical hydraulic modeling tool for pipeline networks in future work.

К РАСЧЕТУ ЖИДКОСТНЫХ ТАРЕЛЬЧАТЫХ СЕПАРАТОРОВ С ПАРАБОЛИЧЕСКИМИ ВСТАВКАМИ

The object of the study is liquid disk separators with curvilinear inserts, which are described by equations of the type . The study was conducted to study the effect of the insert shape on the intensity of the centrifugal force on the liquid flow, as well as on the length of the sedimentation path (or float) of dispersed medium particles. The efficiency of clarification of dispersed media is predetermined by two design characteristics of the device - the length of the particle sedimentation path and the direction of the centrifugal force relative to the walls of the curved channel. For parabolic inserts, the distance between them and the angle of inclination of the walls are variable quantities. To calculate these quantities, nonlinear equations are constructed and an algorithm for numerical calculations is proposed. The calculation results are presented as graphical dependencies of the above parameters along the channel length. The calculations were performed for paraboloids of revolution with degrees m=2, 3 and 4 at coefficient a=2, 3 and 4. As the coefficient a increases, the distance between the inserts decreases. The influence of the exponent m on the gap between the paraboloids of revolution is more complex. The gap size along the channel length decreased from 3 cm to several millimeters. The angle of inclination of the walls relative to the rotation axis decreased in the range from 70 to 10 degrees. As the parameters a and m increase, this angle decreases, therefore, the component of the centrifugal force directed perpendicular to the channel wall increases. The equations of motion of the liquid system were solved by the method of equal flow surfaces, according to which the flow is represented as several layers with their own velocities. At the inlet section, the velocity diagram develops from a flat profile to a parabolic form. As a result of the action of the centrifugal force, an asymmetry of the velocity profile is observed. The obtained results can be used to justify the geometric characteristics of a plate separator with parabolic inserts and to coordinate them with the flow regime parameters.

Unraveling the corrosion behavior and corrosion scale evolution of N80 steel in high-temperature CO2 environment: The role of flow regimes

Unraveling the corrosion behavior and corrosion scale evolution of N80 steel in high-temperature CO2 environment: The role of flow regimes

Study and Analysis of Flow Regime Transitions in Straight Channels Using the Lattice Boltzmann Method for Shallow Water

Study and Analysis of Flow Regime Transitions in Straight Channels Using the Lattice Boltzmann Method for Shallow Water

Anthropogenic activities mitigate the impacts of climate extremes on high flow regimes on the Loess Plateau

The hydrological cycle is anticipated to become increasing variable due to intensified global climate extremes and frequent floods. Understanding the evolution and driving mechanisms of floods in the context of climatic extremes is essential, particularly on the Loess Plateau (LP) where anthropogenic activities are significant. Here, we examined the spatiotemporal variability of climate extremes and their impacts on flood processes on the LP during 1956–2015. We employed a paired year approach to quantitatively assess the driving role of anthropogenic activities on flood changes in 11 major basins. Our findings indicated a general decline in extreme precipitation indices, while temperature has increased across most of the LP. Both annual runoff (Q) and high flow (Q5) magnitude significantly decreased in all basins. We identified that the major climatic indices driving Q5 included erosive precipitation amount, flood season precipitation, heavy precipitation amount, and maximum 7-day precipitation amount. Importantly, anthropogenic activities have mitigated the impact of climate extremes on Q5 regimes. Compared the post-2000 with reference period (1956–1979), under similar climatic conditions, we observed a reduction in the average Q5 magnitude by 30.19–78.14%, and a decrease in the average Q5 duration by 46.48–100.00% across the basins. The contributions of climate variability and anthropogenic activities to Q5 magnitude changes among 11 basins ranged from –37.58% to 22.02% and –56.84% to –15.08%, respectively, highlighting the crucial role of ecological restoration in reducing Q5 magnitude. These results underscore the importance of ecological restoration in flood regulation and offer valuable insights for basin management in the Yellow River Basin.

Has unsustainable groundwater use induced low flow regimes in the Urucuia Aquifer System? An urgent call for integrated water management

Groundwater depletion in the Urucuia Aquifer System (UAS) has concerned the Brazilian water agencies since it is the principal water source in the arid length of the São Francisco river. In contrast, the irrigation fields increasing and uncertainty regarding climate variability have impaired the management of this important hydrograph region of Brazil. Therefore, the proper management of the UAS relies on the correct definition of the factors that are impacting most of the ground and surface waters, i.e., whether they are from climate or anthropogenic activities. Relying on Artificial Intelligence (AI) modeling and hydrological signatures, this study proposed a methodology to disentangle the role of climatic variability and groundwater pumping on streamflow dynamics by rebuilding natural time series in four watersheds within the UAS’s boundaries. By comparing the natural to the observed streamflow time series, the long-term 90th percentile (Q_90) discharge, from which 80% can be granted for multiple uses in the State of Bahia, decreased by up to 50% in the UAS. Yet, the watersheds’ productivity, given by the 90% specific yield, ranged from -52.3% (3.8 L/s.km2 to 1.8 L/s.km2) to -74.0% (23.4 L/s.km2 to 6.1 L/s.km2). Low flow duration was ∼ 1,650 days in natural conditions and increased to 10,354 days in the current land use and cover scenario. Changes in the maximum low flow duration length ranged from 191.7% to 1,315.7%, and in the low flow, deficits were up to 7,150%. These results highlight that groundwater pumping is the principal factor of the UAS’s dryness since climate variability could not track streamflow decreases. However, climate variability is secondary because of the intensification of the atmosphere demand. Although it is a Brazilian application, the proposed methodology can be applied in other aquifer systems to guide decision-makers' management strategies worldwide.

MCMS submersibles: A safe undersea adventure

Abstract. Maritime Cruises Mini-Submarines (MCMS), a company based in Greece, aims to offer safe and deep-sea exploratory experiences to tourists. This paper discusses the primary challenges involved in ensuring tourist safety, particularly focusing on maintaining security in scenarios of mechanical failures or lost communication with the main vessel. We propose comprehensive safety protocols and technological solutions tailored for deep-sea tourist submersibles. The analysis begins with a detailed study of the forces acting on a submersible, considering both operational modes and the impact of ocean currents, utilizing a rigid-body coordinate system and Eulerian angular coordinate transformations to describe the submersibles motion comprehensively. We derive motion and safety parameters by solving the force differential equations, allowing the host ship to predict the submersibles position accurately. In addressing the recovery of lost submersibles, our approach evaluates power loss scenarios and search efficiency, recommending an optimal combination of hydroacoustic and frequency-hopping communication technologies for reliable, low-loss data transmission. We further enhance search methodologies by integrating motion parameters and ocean current dynamics to pinpoint probable locations, adjusting search strategies dynamically based on real-time data, and employing probabilistic models to optimize resource allocation during search operations. A case study in the Caribbean Sea exemplifies applying these methodologies, incorporating localized flow regimes and cooperative communication strategies among multiple submersibles to improve operational efficiency and safety.

Sedimentation of short-lived fluid-solid suspensions

In this study, we propose a particle sedimentation/aggradation law for homogeneous concentrated suspensions. This law, valid in the Stokes flow regime, can be used to describe the sedimentation process observed in short-lived rapid flows, developed at high Reynolds numbers, that can be described as low-viscosity quasi-parallel flows traveling at constant velocity and that progressively sediment during the dominant phase of transport to leave a triangular or trapezoidal deposit of constant slope. The particle aggradation velocity can thus be predicted from the product of the mean flow velocity and the deposit slope and turns out to be roughly similar to that measured from static suspensions of the same concentration, provided that the flow Reynolds number, based on the mean flow velocity, the fluid properties, and the particle size, remains inferior to a few hundred, such as the mixture agitation cannot disturb the sedimentation process. These important results provide the possibility of describing the depositional dynamics during the final stage of extreme events, as well as to infer the mixture rheology, from physical parameters that can be easily measured in the field.

Comparison between shear-driven and pressure-driven oscillatory flows over ripples

Direct numerical simulations of oscillatory flow over a bed made of ripples have been performed. Two oscillatory flow forcing mechanisms have been compared: (i) a sinusoidal external pressure gradient (pressure-driven flow); and (ii) a sinusoidal velocity boundary conditions on the rippled bed (shear-driven flow). In the second case, the oscillations of the bed are such that when observed from a reference frame fixed with the bed, the free stream follows the same harmonic oscillation as in the pressure-driven case. While the outer layers have the same dynamics in the two cases, close to the bed differences are observed during the cycle, mostly because the large form drag across the ripples cannot be reproduced in the shear-driven case. A comparison against experimental data from an oscillating tray apparatus provides a relatively good agreement for the phase-averaged flow when the same forcing is considered (i.e. a shear-driven flow). The pressure-driven case has a comparable error to the shear-driven numerical results over the crest of the ripples, whereas the discrepancy is larger at the troughs. The discrepancies between the two cases are more limited for time-averaged flow quantities, such as the mean flow pattern and the time-averaged Reynolds stress distribution. This suggests that numerical or experimental shear-driven configurations may capture well the net effects of coastal transport processes (which occur in pressure-driven oscillatory flow), but care should be exercised in interpreting phase-dependent dynamics near the troughs. More work is needed to fully assess the sensitivity to the forcing mechanisms in different flow regimes.

Study of Flow Characteristics and Anti-Scour Protection Around Tandem Piers Under Ice Cover

The impact of an ice-covered environment on the local flow characteristics of a bridge pier was studied through a series of flume tests, and the dominant factors affecting the scour pattern were found to grasp the change laws of the local hydrodynamic characteristics of the bridge pier under the ice cover. At the same time, because the scour problem of the pier foundation is a technical problem throughout the life-cycle of the bridge, to determine the optimal anti-scour protection effect on the foundation of the bridge pier, active protection scour plate was used to carry out scour protection tests, and its structural shape was optimized to obtain better anti-scour performance. The test results show that the jumping movements of sediment particles in the scour hole around the pier are mainly caused by events Q2 and Q4, which are accompanied by events Q1 and Q3 and cause the particle rolling phenomenon, where Q1 and Q3 events are outward and inward interacting flow regimes, and Q2 and Q4 events are jet and sweeping flow regimes, respectively. The power spectral attenuation rate in front of the upstream pier is high without masking effects, while strong circulation at the remaining locations results in strong vorticity and high spectral density, in particular, when the sampling time series is 60 s (i.e., f = 1/60), the variance loss rates under ice-covered conditions at the front of the upstream pier, between the two piers, and at the tail end of the downstream pier are 0.5%, 4.6%, and 9.8%, respectively, suggesting a smaller contribution of ice cover to the variance loss.

Thermal Exploration of Combined Rectangular and Semi-Circular Artificial Ribs in the Flow Regime of Solar Air Heater: A Computational and Experimental Approach

Abstract A roughened solar air heater is developed numerically and experimentally with a novel roughness in the absorber. The roughness incorporated is a combination of rectangular and semi-circular ribs. The analysis is done to improve the thermal characteristics considering two cases. Type A with ribs placed above the absorber and Type B with ribs placed below it. Several operating parameters are investigated including heat flux, Reynolds number (Re), relative obstacle relative height (h/H) ranging from 400 W/m2 to 1000 W/m2, 4000 to 10,000, and 0.4 to 1.0, respectively. The relative pitch is kept constant at 15 mm. The governing equations are simulated employing the renormalization group k–ε turbulence flow model. The results indicated that both Type A and Type B achieved significant improvements over the smooth duct. Type A exhibited a maximum Nusselt number of 4.24, while Type B achieved 3.93 in comparison with smooth duct at Re of 10,000, respectively. The thermal enhancement factor (TEF) ranges from 1.32 to 1.79 for Type A and 1.26 to 1.69 for Type B at a heat flux intensity of 1000 W/m2. Also at a relative height of 1.0, Type A demonstrated the highest TEF of 1.79 at Re = 10,000 and provided a maximum exergy efficiency of 11.2%.