Roll Cells Research Articles

(Invited) Development of Commercial-Scale High Energy Density Aqueous Zinc Manganese Dioxide Alkaline Batteries for Long Duration Storage

Alkaline zinc manganese dioxide batteries are attractive for grid related energy storage applications but have been limited to relatively low utilization of the active materials to assure good cycling performance. Zinc anodes tend to deteriorate due to shape change, passivation, and dendrite formation during charge/discharge cycles. Manganese dioxide cathodes also deteriorate due to formation of inactive crystalline polymorphs during cycling. Recent work using additives in both the anodes and the cathodes has mitigated these issues and enabled access of much higher active material utilization levels, up to 50% of the two-electron capacity of the zinc and over 75% of the two-electron capacity of the manganese dioxide electrodes. Commercial-scale cylindrical (jelly roll) cells of 150 to 200 Wh, particularly suitable for long duration energy storage with discharge periods from a day to a week, have been manufactured on a pilot line. Their performance and various deployments will be discussed indicating areas where future developments would be of importance.

On high-Taylor-number Taylor vortices

Axisymmetric steady solutions of Taylor–Couette flow at high Taylor numbers are studied numerically and theoretically. As the axial period of the solution shortens from approximately one gap length, the Nusselt number goes through two peaks before returning to laminar flow. In this process, the asymptotic nature of the solution changes in four stages, as revealed by the asymptotic analysis. When the aspect ratio of the roll cell is approximately unity, the solution has the Nusselt number proportional to the quarter power of the Taylor number, and captures quantitatively the characteristics of the classical turbulence regime. By shortening the axial period the Nusselt number can even reach the experimental value around the onset of the ultimate turbulence regime. However, at higher Taylor numbers, the theoretical predictions eventually underestimate the experimental values. An important consequence of the asymptotic analyses is that the mean angular momentum should become uniform in the core region unless the axial wavelength is too short. The theoretical scaling laws deduced for the steady solutions can be carried over to Rayleigh–Bénard convection.

Direct numerical simulation of coflowing rough and smooth turbulent channel flows

Turbulent channel flow with underlying rough and smooth surfaces present abreast is investigated using direct numerical simulations. Secondary roll cells, exhibiting a strong updraft in the smooth half of the channel, are observed. The roll cells have significantly attenuated the bulk flow and turbulence in the smooth half of the channel.

Rotation effects on turbulence features of viscoelastic spanwise-rotating plane Couette flows

Rotation effects on turbulence features have been examined in viscoelastic spanwise-rotating plane Couette flows (RPCF) at the Reynolds number Re = 1300 and the Weissenberg number Wi = 5, by using of direct numerical simulations for the rotation number Ro=0.02–0.9. Here, Re represents the ratio of inertial forces to viscous forces, and Wi and Ro quantify the strength of fluid elasticity and system rotation, respectively. Based on the detailed examinations of the turbulent kinetic energy and Reynolds stress budgets as well as vortical structures, the viscoelastic RPCF can be classified roughly into three regimes: weak rotation for Ro≤0.1, intermediate rotation for 0.1<Ro<0.4, and strong rotation for Ro≥0.4. Essentially, the comprehensive rotation effects are inherent to the rotation-driven vortical change characterized by an enhancement as Ro is changed from weak to intermediate rotation and a followed suppression at the elasto-inertial turbulence (EIT) state of strong rotation. Specifically, the turbulent kinetic energy and Reynolds stress at Ro = 0.9 are found less than 10% of those at Ro = 0.2. Of particular interest, at weak and intermediate rotation, intense polymer–turbulence interaction is found to occur primarily in the extensional flows between two neighboring roll cells, whereas for the high-Ro EIT state, it happens in the bulk region as the small-scale turbulent vortices serve to homogenize the polymer dynamics via their vortical circulations. The present finding has shed some new light onto the polymer–turbulence interaction under system rotation.

Critical conditions for development of a second pair of Dean vortices in curved microfluidic channels.

The centrifugal force in flow through a curved channel initiates a hydrodynamic instability that results in the development of Dean vortices, a pair of counter-rotating roll cells across the channel that deflect the high velocity fluid in the center toward the outer (concave) wall. When this secondary flow toward the concave (outer) wall is too strong to be dissipated by viscous effects, an additional pair of vortices emerges near the outer wall. Combining numerical simulation and dimensional analysis, we find that the critical condition for the onset of the second vortex pair depends on γ^{1/2}Dn (γ: channel aspect ratio; Dn: Dean number). We also investigate the development length for the additional vortex pair in channels with different aspect ratios and curvatures. The larger centrifugal force at higher Dean numbers produces the additional vortices further upstream, with the required development length being inversely proportional to the Reynolds number and increasing linearly with the radius of curvature of the channel.

Failure behavior of prismatic Li-ion battery cells under abuse loading condition - A combined experimental and computational study

Li-ion jelly rolls and prismatic battery cells were quasi-statically loaded by three different indenters: (1) Hemispherical nose punch, (2) Flat end punch, and (3) Round edge wedge. Force and displacement during indentation were measured. For the cells, voltage drop was also recorded to monitor short circuiting. The deformation/failure modes of specimens were examined and the critical force at initiation of short circuit was analyzed for the cells. Substantial differences occurred depending upon indenter shape; also loading orientation for the wedge. In all cases, short circuiting of the entire cell initiated by formation of the first jelly roll crack. Based on test loading and boundary conditions, finite element (FE) models were developed using explicit FEA code LS-DYNA. The model predictions demonstrated good agreement in terms of force-displacement responses and structural failure modes at both jelly roll and prismatic cell levels. With the validated numerical model, the original battery cell design was modified in order to alter the deformation and failure modes of the jelly roll. Three design modifications were considered: (1) Include a thin mica sheet between the first and second jelly roll layers; (2) Use thinner, but higher stiffness/strength steel to replace the aluminum alloy enclosure material; and (3) Change the enclosure material where indenter contact occurs from an aluminum alloy sheet to an aluminum alloy sandwich structure. All three indentation conditions were simulated and results were compared to the original design. The outcomes were sensitive to indenter shape, where round end wedge indentation benefitted the most. The findings have potential for improving prismatic battery cell safety by incorporating them into future designs.

Relaminarization of spanwise-rotating viscoelastic plane Couette flow via a transition sequence from a drag-reduced inertial to a drag-enhanced elasto-inertial turbulent flow

Direct numerical simulation of spanwise-rotation-driven flow transitions in viscoelastic plane Couette flow from a drag-reduced inertial to a drag-enhanced elasto-inertial turbulent flow state followed by full relaminarization is reported for the first time. Specifically, this novel flow transition begins with a drag-reduced inertial turbulent flow state at a low rotation number $0\leqslant Ro \leqslant 0.1$ , and then transitions to a rotation/polymer-additive-driven drag-enhanced inertial turbulent regime, $0.1\leqslant Ro \leqslant 0.3$ . In turn, the flow transitions to a drag-enhanced elasto-inertial turbulent state, $0.3\leqslant Ro \leqslant 0.9$ , and eventually relaminarizes at $Ro=1$ . In addition, two novel rotation-dependent drag enhancement mechanisms are proposed and substantiated. (1) The formation of large-scale roll cells results in enhanced convective momentum transport along with significant polymer elongation and stress generated in the extensionally dominated flow between adjacent roll cells at $Ro\leqslant 0.2$ . (2) Coriolis-force-generated turbulent vortices cause strong incoherent transport and homogenization of significant polymer stress in the bulk via their vortical circulations at $Ro=0.5 - 0.9$ .

Surface Gravity Wave Effects on Submesoscale Currents in the Open Ocean

AbstractA set of realistic coastal simulations in California allows for the exploration of surface gravity wave effects on currents (WEC) in an active submesoscale current regime. We use a new method that takes into account the full surface gravity wave spectrum and produces larger Stokes drift than the monochromatic peak-wave approximation. We investigate two high-wave events lasting several days—one from a remotely generated swell and another associated with local wind-generated waves—and perform a systematic comparison between solutions with and without WEC at two submesoscale-resolving horizontal grid resolutions (dx = 270 and 100 m). WEC results in the enhancement of open-ocean surface density and velocity gradients when the averaged significant wave height Hs is relatively large (>4.2 m). For smaller waves, WEC is a minor effect overall. For the remote swell (strong waves and weak winds), WEC maintains submesoscale structures and accentuates the cyclonic vorticity and horizontal convergence skewness of submesoscale fronts and filaments. The vertical enstrophy ζ2 budget in cyclonic regions (ζ/f > 2) reveals enhanced vertical shear and enstrophy production via vortex tilting and stretching. Wind-forced waves also enhance surface gradients, up to the point where they generate a small-submesoscale roll-cell pattern with high vorticity and divergence that extends vertically through the entire mixed layer. The emergence of these roll cells results in a buoyancy gradient sink near the surface that causes a modest reduction in the typically large submesoscale density gradients.

Dispersion of Buoyant and Sinking Particles in a Simulated Wind‐ and Wave‐Driven Turbulent Coastal Ocean

AbstractIn shallow coastal oceans, turbulent flows driven by surface winds and waves and constrained by a solid bottom disperse particles. This work examines the mechanisms driving horizontal and vertical dispersion of buoyant and sinking particles for times much greater than turbulent integral time scales. Turbulent fields are modeled using a wind‐stress driven large eddy simulation (LES), incorporating wave‐driven Langmuir turbulence, surface breaking wave turbulent kinetic energy inputs, and a solid bottom boundary. A Lagrangian stochastic model is paired to the LES to incorporate Lagrangian particle tracking. Within a subset of intermediate buoyant rise velocities, particles experience synergistic vertical mixing in which breaking waves (BW) inject particles into Langmuir downwelling velocities sufficient to drive deep mixing. Along‐wind dispersion is controlled by vertical shear in mean along‐wind velocities. Wind and bottom friction‐driven vertical shear enhances dispersion of buoyant and sinking particles, while energetic turbulent mixing, such as from BW, dampens shear dispersion. Strongly rising and sinking particles trapped at the ocean surface and bottom, respectively, experience no vertical shear, resulting in low rates of along‐wind dispersion. Crosswind dispersion is shaped by particle advection in wind‐aligned fields of counter‐rotating Langmuir and Couette roll cells. Langmuir cells enhance crosswind dispersion in neutrally to intermediately buoyant particles through enhanced cell hopping. Surface trapping restricts particles to Langmuir convergence regions, strongly inhibiting crosswind dispersion. In shallow coastal systems, particle dispersion depends heavily on particle buoyancy and wave‐dependent turbulent effects.

Numerical and Experimental Study of the Meniscus Vortex Core in a Water Model of Continuous Casting Mold

Slag entrainments in a continuous casting mold result in serious defects in steel products. Most previous studies concentrated on the magnitude of meniscus velocity or transient roll cell motion to investigate the cause of slag entrainment. However, slag entrainment is more directly connected with the meniscus vortex, which accompanies a meniscus deformation (e.g., vortex dimple or core). Most previous numerical studies on the meniscus vortex were conducted using a single-phase flow analysis; thus, the effect of meniscus deformation was never examined. This study conducts a multiphase flow simulation by employing a free-surface-capturing technique, and succeeds in reproducing the meniscus vortex core in the mold. The core depth and onset condition for the meniscus vortex obtained by the present numerical study show good agreements with the experimental results. The vorticity distribution on the mold meniscus and meniscus vortex patterns according to flow asymmetry are also dealt with herein.

Polymer-induced flow relaminarization and drag enhancement in spanwise-rotating plane Couette flow

Abstract

Coriolis force-based instability of a shear-thinning microchannel flow

The instability mechanism based on the Coriolis force, especially on a rapidly rotating portable device handling shear-thinning fluids such as blood, is of utmost importance for eventual detection of diseases by mixing with suitable reagents. Motivated by this proposition, this study renders a modal stability analysis of shear-thinning fluids in a rotating microchannel modeled by the Carreau rheological law. When a microchannel is engraved with a rotating compact disk-based device, the centrifugal force acts as the driving force that actuates the flow and the Coriolis force enhances the mixing process in a significantly short span by destabilizing the flow. An Orr–Sommerfeld–Squire analysis is performed to explore the role of these forces on the linear stability of a rotating shear-thinning flow. Reported results on shear-thinning flow with streamwise disturbances indicate that the critical Reynolds number for the flow transition with viscosity perturbation is nearly half of that of the critical value for the same without viscosity perturbation. In sharp contrast, the present analysis considering spanwise disturbances reveals that the critical Reynolds numbers with and without viscosity perturbation remain virtually unaltered under rotational effects. However, the viscosity variation has no significant influence on the Coriolis force-based instability. Numerical results confirm that a momentous destabilization is possible with the use of the Coriolis force via generating secondary flow inside the channel. Interestingly, the roll cells corresponding to the instabilities at lower time constants exhibit the existence of two distinct vortices, and the center of the stronger one is essentially settled toward the unstable “stratified” region. Moreover, for a higher value of the time constant, only one vortex occupies the entire channel. This, in turn, may turn out to be of fundamental importance in realizing new instability regimes facilitating efficient mixing in rotationally actuated fluidic devices deployed for biochemical analysis and medical diagnostics.

Rayleigh-Bénard Convection of Paramagnetic Liquid under a Magnetic Field from Permanent Magnets

The convection control is important in terms of the heat transfer enhancement and improvement of the applied devices and resultant products. In this study, the convection control by a magnetic field from block permanent magnets is numerically investigated on the Rayleigh-Bénard convection of paramagnetic fluid. To enhance the magnetic force from the available permanent magnets, pairs of alternating-pole magnets are employed and aligned near the bottom heated wall. The lattice Boltzmann method is employed for the computation of the heat and fluid flow with the consideration of buoyancy and magnetothermal force on the working fluid. It is found that, since the magnetic force at the junction of pair magnets becomes strong remarkably and in the same direction as the gravity, descending convection flow is locally enhanced and the pair of symmetrical roll cells near the magnet junction becomes longitudinal. The local heat transfer corresponds to the affected roll cell pattern; locally enhanced at the magnet junctions and low heat transfer area is shifted aside the magnet outer edge. The averaged Nusselt number on the hot wall also increases proportionally to the magnetic induction but it is saturated at high magnetic induction. This suggests the roll cell pattern is no more largely affected at extremely-high magnetic induction.

DNS of plane Couette flow with surface roughness

Direct numerical simulation of fully developed turbulent plane Couette flow (pCf) has been performed to investigate the effect of surface roughness. Flow characteristics in a statistically stationary field are then compared with the smooth pCf data. The present study considers a case, where the bottom wall is fixed, while the top wall is moving with a constant velocity $$U_{\mathrm{w}}$$ in the flow direction. For roughening, square ribs are placed on the stationary wall with a streamwise pitch $$\lambda = 5k$$, where $$k = 0.2h$$ is the roughness height and h is half the height between the walls. In the present study, we examined the flow and pressure fields around the ribs. For the pitch $$\lambda = 5k$$, a single recirculation zone is observed in the cavity between any two consecutive ribs. In addition, the profiles of the mean data in the channel core region at different streamwise locations are shown to collapse with each other, indicating that the flow is quasi-homogeneous in the streamwise direction. Further, counter-rotating secondary roll cells or Taylor–Gortler-like vortices, which evolve temporally and oriented along the flow direction, are also observed in the rough pCf. In addition, the large-scale turbulent structures are distorted into fine-scale motion around the ribs. Furthermore, the skin friction coefficient and the mean pressure fields are qualitatively similar to a rough Poiseuille flow (with ribs only on one wall).

A two-dimensional-three-component model for spanwise rotating plane Poiseuille flow

Spanwise rotating plane Poiseuille flow (RPPF) is one of the canonical flow problems to study the effect of system rotation on wall-bounded shear flows and has been studied a lot in the past. In the present work, a two-dimensional-three-component (2D/3C) model for RPPF is introduced and it is shown that the present model is equivalent to a thermal convection problem with unit Prandtl number. For low Reynolds number cases, the model can be used to study the stability behaviour of the roll cells. It is found that the neutral stability curves, critical eigensolutions and critical streamfunctions of RPPF at different rotation numbers ($Ro$) almost collapse with the help of a rescaling with a newly defined Rayleigh number $Ra$ and channel height $H$. Analytic expressions for the critical Reynolds number and critical wavenumber at different $Ro$ can be obtained. For a turbulent state with high Reynolds number, the 2D/3C model for RPPF is self-sustained even without extra excitations. Simulation results also show that the profiles of mean streamwise velocity and Reynolds shear stress from the 2D/3C model share the same linear laws as the fully three-dimensional cases, although differences on the intercepts can be observed. The contours of streamwise velocity fluctuations behave like plumes in the linear law region. We also provide an explanation to the linear mean velocity profiles observed at high rotation numbers.

Scale interactions in turbulent rotating planar Couette flow: insight through the Reynolds stress transport

In turbulent planar Couette flow under anticyclonic spanwise system rotation, large-scale roll-cell structures arise due to a Coriolis-force-induced instability. The structures are superimposed on smaller-scale turbulence, and with increasing angular velocity ($\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FA}_{z}$) such roll cells dominate the flow field and small-scale turbulence is instead suppressed in a certain rotation number range $0<Ro\lesssim 0.1$ ($Ro=2\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FA}_{z}h/U_{w}$, where $h$ is the channel half-width, $U_{w}$ the wall velocity). At low rotation numbers around $Ro\approx 0.02$ both large-scale roll cells and smaller-scale turbulence coexist. In the present study, we investigate interaction between these structures through a scale-by-scale analysis of the Reynolds stress transport. We show that at low rotation numbers $Ro\approx 0.01$ the turbulence productions by the mean flow gradient and the Coriolis force occur at different scales and thereby the turbulent energy distribution over a wide range of scales is maintained. On the other hand at higher rotation numbers $Ro\gtrsim 0.05$, a zero-absolute-vorticity state is established and production of small scales from the mean shear disappears although large-scale turbulence production is maintained through the Coriolis force. At high enough Reynolds numbers, where scale separation between the near-wall structures and the roll cells is relatively distinct, transition between these different $Ro$ regimes is found to occur rather abruptly around $Ro\approx 0.02$, resulting in a non-monotonic behaviour of the wall shear stress as a function of $Ro$. It is also shown that at such an intermediate rotation number the roll cells interact with smaller scales by moving near-wall structures towards the core region of the channel, by which the Reynolds stress is transported from relatively small scales near the wall towards larger scales in the channel centre. Such Reynolds stress transport by scale interaction becomes increasingly significant as the Reynolds number increases, and results in a reversed mean velocity gradient at the channel centre at high enough Reynolds numbers.

In Situ Magic-Angle Spinning 7Li NMR Analysis of a Full Electrochemical Lithium-Ion Battery Using a Jelly Roll Cell Design.

A new in situ magic angle spinning (MAS) 7Li nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) strategy allowing for the observation of a full lithium-ion cell is introduced. Increased spectral resolution is achieved through a novel jelly roll cell design, which allowed these studies to be performed for the first time under MAS conditions (MAS rate 10 kHz). The state of charge, metallic lithium plating and solid-electrolyte interface (SEI) formation was captured for the first charge/discharge cycle of a full electrochemical cell (LiCoO2/graphite). This strategy can be used to monitor both anode and cathode electrodes concurrently, which is valuable for tracking the lithium distribution in a full cell in real time and may also enable identification of causes of capacity loss that are not readily available from bulk electrochemical analyses, or other post-mortem strategies.

Three-Dimensional Numerical Simulation on Thermocapillary Convection of Moderate Prandtl Number Fluid in an Annular Shallow Pool with Surface Heat Dissipation

In order to understand the effect of surface heat dissipation on thermocapillary convection of moderate Prandtl number fluid in an annular shallow pool, we performed a series of three-dimensional numerical simulations by using the finite volume method. An annular shallow pool is full of 0.65cSt silicone oil with Prandtl number of 6.7. The radius ratio and the aspect ratio of the pool are respectively fixed at 0.5 and 0.1. Surface heat dissipation Biot number is varied from 0 to 50. Results indicate that the critical Marangoni number of flow destabilization mainly depends on the coupling effect of the thermocapillary force and surface heat dissipation on the free surface, which decreases first, and then increases gradually. When Biot number is small, the steady axisymmetric flow after the flow destabilization will bifurcate to the hydrothermal wave. With the increase of Marangoni number, the flow pattern evolution at a small Biot number is similar to that of an adiabatic free surface, and the fundamental oscillatory frequency increases gradually. With the increase of Biot number, the radial roll cells near the outer cylindrical wall gradually extend to the inner wall, and eventually occupy the whole liquid pool. When Biot number is large, the flow pattern after the flow destabilization is a radial rolling cell pattern with alternating azimuthal direction. Then it gradually evolves into azimuthal waves, and the fundamental oscillatory frequency has a slight decrease.

The amplification of large-scale motion in a supersonic concave turbulent boundary layer and its impact on the mean and statistical properties

Direct numerical simulation is conducted to uncover the response of a supersonic turbulent boundary layer to streamwise concave curvature and the related physical mechanisms at a Mach number of 2.95. Streamwise variations of mean flow properties, turbulence statistics and turbulent structures are analysed. A method to define the boundary layer thickness based on the principal strain rate is proposed, which is applicable for boundary layers subjected to wall-normal pressure and velocity gradients. While the wall friction grows with the wall turning, the friction velocity decreases. A logarithmic region with constant slope exists in the concave boundary layer. However, with smaller slope, it is located lower than that of the flat boundary layer. Streamwise varying trends of the velocity and the principal strain rate within different wall-normal regions are different. The turbulence level is promoted by the concave curvature. Due to the increased turbulence generation in the outer layer, secondary bumps are noted in the profiles of streamwise and spanwise turbulence intensity. Peak positions in profiles of wall-normal turbulence intensity and Reynolds shear stress are pushed outward because of the same reason. Attributed to the Görtler instability, the streamwise extended vortices within the hairpin packets are intensified and more vortices are generated. Through accumulations of these vortices with a similar sense of rotation, large-scale streamwise roll cells are formed. Originated from the very large-scale motions and by promoting the ejection, sweep and spanwise events, the formation of large-scale streamwise roll cells is the physical cause of the alterations of the mean properties and turbulence statistics. The roll cells further give rise to the vortex generation. The large number of hairpin vortices formed in the near-wall region lead to the improved wall-normal correlation of turbulence in the concave boundary layer.

Performance Assessment of Dynamic Downscaling of WRF to Simulate Convective Conditions during Sagebrush Phase 1 Tracer Experiments

Large-Eddy Simulations (LES) corresponding to four convective intensive observation periods of Sagebrush Phase 1 tracer experiment were conducted with realistic boundary conditions using Weather Research and Forecast model (WRF). Multiple nested domains were used to dynamically downscale the conditions from domain with grid size of 24 km to local scales with grid size of 150 m. Sensitivity analysis of mesoscale model was conducted using three boundary layer, three surface layer and two micro-physics schemes. Model performance was evaluated by comparing the surface meteorological variables and boundary layer height from the mesoscale runs and observed values during tracer experiment. Output from mesoscale simulations was used to drive the LES domains. Effect of vertical resolution and sub-grid scale parameterizations were studied by comparing the wind speed and direction profiles along with turbulent kinetic energy at two different heights. Atmospheric stability estimated using the Richardson number and shear exponent evaluated between 8- and 60-m levels was found to vary between weakly unstable to unstable. Comparing the wind direction standard deviations coupled with the wind speeds showed that the WRF-LES underestimated the wind direction fluctuations for wind speeds smaller than 3-ms − 1 . Based on the strengths of convection and shear, WRF-LES was able to simulate horizontal convection roll and convective cell type features.