Shear-free Boundary Conditions Research Articles

The effect of slip parameter in an axisymmetric oscillatory Stokes flow

A general solution of Stokes equations for the problem of an axisymmetric oscillatory flow of an incompressible, viscous fluid past a sphere satisfying general boundary conditions is obtained. The behavior of the magnitude of drag is observed with the variation of the slip parameter. Some more interesting behaviors are detailed, and several existing results pertaining to steady flows and flows with rigid and shear free boundary conditions are recovered as special cases. The corresponding results are discussed for four different axisymmetric oscillatory Stokes flows, namely, uniform flow, flows generated due to a dipole, a source, and a Stokeslet. A few interesting streamline patterns like formation, elongation, and disappearance of viscous eddies in the vicinity of the sphere with a periodic reversal of the flow are observed at different frequencies for different values of the slip parameter.

Stability and dynamic analyses of hybrid laminates using refined higher-order zigzag theory

This article presents a comparative study on the stability and dynamic response of hybrid laminated composite plates over monolithically produced laminated composite plates. A Refined Higher-order Zigzag Theory (RHZT) is formulated and implemented using finite element method for the analysis of hybrid laminates. This formulation considers both the interlaminar shear stress continuity and shear-free boundary conditions at surfaces of the plates. The numerical implementation employs C 0 continuous eight-noded isoparametric plate elements considering geometric nonlinearity. The element stiffness matrix is formulated to consider both the linear and nonlinear terms of the strain-displacement equations. Derivation of the consistent mass matrix for a plate element is presented following the approximation of total kinetic energy and utilising Hamilton’s principle. Numerical examples are provided to demonstrate buckling and free vibration analyses (as eigenvalue problems). The results are numerically verified and validated using data from published literature. Finally, parametric studies are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of fibre hybridisation approach on the buckling and free vibration behaviour of laminated composites.

Numerical investigation of the drag reduction effect in turbulent channel flow by superhydrophobic grooved surfaces

Abstract Superhydrophobic surfaces (SHSs) are considered to be a promising technology for achieving skin-friction drag reduction. Development of more efficient techniques for simulating the turbulent boundary layer on SHSs continues to be a subject of interest. In this study, numerical simulations were carried out to capture near-wall behaviours due to the effect of the SHS on wall-bounded flows. To achieve this, high- to intermediate-fidelity turbulence models including Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes, detached eddy simulation and large eddy simulation were utilized. With regard to slip conditions, the well-known Navier slip velocity method was used over the SHS. For validating the numerical solutions, the slip velocity and skin friction over the SHS were compared with the experimental output. Results showed that the velocity profile and Reynolds stresses on the SHS were comparable to the reported results. Then, the developed models were further extended to investigate the drag reduction effect of SHSs with rectangular grooves. The subsequent results showed that the combination of superhydrophobicity and rectangular grooves led to a better performance with a maximum drag reduction of 46.1%. This is due to the surface slip caused by the SHS and the secondary vortex effect created by the grooves. Our results revealed that Reynolds stresses of the slippery grooved surface were higher than those of the case in which a shear-free condition was employed for the grooved surface. More importantly, the numerical results indicate the previous assumption of the shear-free condition is inaccurate for the geometrically simplified grooved SHSs. Therefore, geometry modifications rather than an overly simplified shear-free boundary condition should be applied in computational fluid dynamics simulations for SHSs with grooves or other complex structures.

Experimental investigation into the sensitivity of elastically coated piezoelectric polyvinylidene fluoride films to an impact force

This paper presents an experimental study on the effect of an elastic coating on the sensitivity to an impact force on a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film by using a model consisting of a top mass, a coated/uncoated PVDF film, and a base block. The sensitivity of the PVDF film is determined by measuring the voltage outputs from the PVDF film and an impact hammer, which is used to excite the top mass. The effects of the constraints at the top and bottom surfaces of an uncoated PVDF film on the sensitivity are examined first. Experimentally, the shear-free and perfectly bonded constraints are approximated by applying oil and epoxy glue to the interfaces between the PVDF film and the top mass/base block. The sensitivities of the PVDF film for these two constraints are determined analytically, thus explaining the roles of the stress components in the thickness and in-plane directions of the film in generating the voltage outputs. The approximated shear-free boundary condition using oil at the interface allows an experimental determination of the piezoelectric voltage constant of the PVDF film in the poling direction. Rubber and polyurethane are used for constructing the coated PVDF films. Even a thin layer of elastic coating is capable of significantly increasing the sensitivity of the PVDF film. For example, 3 mm rubber layers allow a 27 dB increase in the low-frequency sensitivity. A system including an elastically coated PVDF film provides an additional 10 dB increase at frequencies close to its first resonance frequency, resulting in a total 37 dB increase in the system sensitivity. The increased sensitivity may be explained as being due to the increased shear force between the elastic material and PVDF film as the thickness of the elastic layer increases. The dominating effect of the shear force is illustrated by the experimental and finite-element analysis as the thickness of the rubber coating gradually increases. The high rate of increase of the sensitivity as a function of rubber thickness can be observed when the thickness is under 0.8 mm.

Turbulent thermal convection driven by free-surface evaporation in cuboidal domains of different aspect ratios

In this paper, we present simulations of turbulent thermal convection driven by free-surface evaporation above and by a heated wall below. A novel algorithm is proposed for predicting evaporation rates at a free surface, which we then validate against experimental data. At the top of a cuboidal domain, a shear-free boundary condition acts as an approximation of the free surface. We first focus on a domain of aspect ratio Γ = 1, where a fully resolved direct numerical simulation is carried out at a moderate Rayleigh number, Ra = 1.2 × 107, and we compare flow statistics with a Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) on a coarse grid. Both the fully resolved simulation and the LES predict well the time- and area-averaged evaporation rate and free surface temperature when compared with the experimental data. Next, we carry out a series of LES with an increasing lower wall temperature and, consequently, Ra. We then validate the evaporation model by comparing LES predictions of the time- and area-averaged mass flux and temperature at the upper boundary against the experimental measurements. The aspect ratio of the domain is then reduced, and we show, for the first time, the transition to a dual-roll state of the large-scale circulation (LSC) at the aspect ratio of Γ = 1/4 in a cuboidal domain. The temperature and velocity distributions at the free surface are impacted by the state of the LSC. However, we find that the water-side turbulence and aspect ratio play a negligible role on the evaporation rate above, in accordance with experimental observations.

Evaporation-driven turbulent convection in water pools

Abstract

Spreading and Contact Resistance Formulae Capturing Boundary Curvature and Contact Distribution Effects

There is a substantial and growing body of literature which solves Laplace's equation governing the velocity field for a linear-shear flow of liquid in the unwetted (Cassie) state over a superhydrophobic surface. Usually, no-slip and shear-free boundary conditions are applied at liquid–solid interfaces and liquid–gas ones (menisci), respectively. When the menisci are curved, the liquid is said to flow over a “bubble mattress.” We show that the dimensionless apparent hydrodynamic slip length available from studies of such surfaces is equivalent to (i) the dimensionless spreading resistance for a flat, isothermal heat source flanked by arc-shaped adiabatic boundaries and (ii) the dimensionless thermal contact resistance between symmetric mating surfaces with flat contacts flanked by arc-shaped adiabatic boundaries. This is important because real surfaces are rough rather than smooth. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this observation provides a significant source of new and explicit results on spreading and contact resistances. Significantly, the results presented accommodate arbitrary solid-to-solid contact fraction and arc geometry in the contact resistance problem for the first time. We also provide formulae for the case when each period window includes a finite number of no-slip (or isothermal) and shear free (or adiabatic) regions and extend them to the case when the latter are weakly curved. Finally, we discuss other areas of mathematical physics to which our results are directly relevant.

Drag reduction induced by superhydrophobic surfaces in turbulent pipe flow

The drag reduction induced by superhydrophobic surfaces is investigated in a turbulent pipe flow. Wetted superhydrophobic surfaces are shown to trap gas bubbles in their asperities. This stops the liquid from coming in direct contact with the wall in that location, allowing the flow to slip over the air bubbles. We consider a well-defined texture with streamwise grooves at the walls in which the gas is expected to be entrapped. This configuration is modeled with alternating no-slip and shear-free boundary conditions at the wall. With respect to the classical turbulent pipe flow, a substantial drag reduction is observed which strongly depends on the grooves’ dimension and on the solid fraction, i.e., the ratio between the solid wall surface and the total surface of the pipe’s circumference. The drag reduction is due to the mean slip velocity at the wall which increases the flow rate at a fixed pressure drop. The enforced boundary conditions also produce peculiar turbulent structures which on the contrary decrease the flow rate. The two concurrent effects provide an overall flow rate increase as demonstrated by means of the mean axial momentum balance. This equation provides the balance between the mean pressure gradient, the Reynolds stress, the mean flow rate, and the mean slip velocity contributions.

Numerical free vibration analysis of higher-order shear deformable beams resting on two-parameter elastic foundation

Free vibration analysis of higher-order shear deformation beam resting on one- and two-parameter elasticfoundation is studied using differential transform method (DTM) as a part of a calculation procedure. First,the governing differential equations of beam are derived in a general form considering the shear-freeboundary conditions (zero shear stress conditions at the top and bottom of a beam). Using DTM the derivedequations governing beams, followed by higher-order shear deformation model, Timoshenko model andBernoulli-Euler model are transformed to algebraic forms and a set of recurrence formulae is then derived.Upon imposing the boundary conditions of the beam at hand, a set of algebraic equations are obtained andexpressed in matrix form. Finally, the transverse natural frequencies of the beam are calculated through aniterative procedure. Several numerical examples have been carried out to demonstrate the competency ofthe present method and the results obtained by DTM are in good agreement with those in the literature.Afterward, the free vibration of beams followed up by different models (i.e. Bernoulli-Euler, Timoshenkoand different higher-order models) are taken into consideration.

A numerical study of the effects of superhydrophobic surface on skin-friction drag in turbulent channel flow

Superhydrophobic surfaces have attracted much attention lately as they present the possibility of achieving a substantial skin-friction drag reduction in turbulent flows. In this paper, the effects of a superhydrophobic surface, consisting of microgrates aligned in the flow direction, on skin-friction drag in turbulent flows were investigated through direct numerical simulation of turbulent channel flows. The superhydrophobic surface was modeled through a shear-free boundary condition on the air-water interface. Dependence of the effective slip length and resulting skin-friction drag on Reynolds number and surface geometry was examined. In laminar flows, the effective slip length depended on surface geometry only, independent of Reynolds number, consistent with an existing analysis. In turbulent flows, the effective slip length was a function of Reynolds number, indicating its dependence on flow conditions near the surface. The resulting drag reduction was much larger in turbulent flows than in laminar flows, and near-wall turbulence structures were significantly modified, suggesting that indirect effects resulting from modified turbulence structures played a more significant role in reducing drag in turbulent flows than the direct effect of the slip, which led to a modest drag reduction in laminar flows. It was found that the drag reduction in turbulent flows was well correlated with the effective slip length normalized by viscous wall units.

The Effects of Surfactants on the Drag of a Bubble

It is well-know that the presence of surfactant critically decreases the velocity of bubbles. This is explained by the Marangoni effect, which implies that the shear-free boundary condition imposed in the gas-liquid interface is no longer valid, and this leads to an increase in the drag force on the bubble. Most mathematical models proposed in the past to simulate the increase in the drag as a function of surface contamination assumes the stagnant cap hypothesis. In this work, the steady drag for spherical bubbles moving to its terminal velocity in a liquid contaminated with surfactants was obtained via numerical simulations for 50≤ Re ≤200 by using Comsol Multiphysics® 3.5a with the stagnant cap hypothesis. Different levels of surface contamination from clean bubble up to fully contaminated bubble were considered. The numerical values of drag force, flow velocity and pressure fields as function of the grade of contamination and Re were examined. Additionally, the flow regime (Re) under which a recirculating zone is formed behind a spherical bubble is numerically determined for each extent of the angle of contamination. The agreement of the numerical results with reported drag values was proved. By using an appropriate normalization of the numerical data, a simple explicit drag law for contaminated bubbles as function of the stagnant cap angle was obtained.

Quantifying effective slip length over micropatterned hydrophobic surfaces

We employ microparticle image velocimetry to investigate laminar microflows in hydrophobic microstructured channels, in particular the slip length. These microchannels consist of longitudinal microgrooves, which can trap air and prompt a shear-free boundary condition and thus slippage enhancement. Our measurements reveal an increase in the slip length when the width of the microgrooves is enlarged. The result of the slip length is smaller than the analytical prediction by Philip [Z. Angew. Math. Phys. 23, 353 (1972)] for an infinitely large and textured channel comprised of alternating shear-free and no-slip boundary conditions. The smaller slip length (as compared with the prediction) can be attributed to the confinement of the microchannel and the bending of the meniscus (liquid-gas interface). Our experimental studies suggest that the curvature of the meniscus plays an important role in microflows over hydrophobic microridges.

Very viscous horizontal convection

‘Horizontal convection’ arises when a temperature variation is imposed along a horizontal boundary of a finite fluid volume. Here we study the infinite-Prandtl-number limit relevant to very viscous fluids, motivated by the study of convection in glass furnaces. We consider a rectangular domain with insulating conditions on the sides and bottom, and a linear temperature gradient on the top. We describe steady states for a large range of aspect ratio A and Rayleigh number Ra, and find universal scalings for the transition from small to large Rayleigh numbers. At large Rayleigh number, the top boundary-layer thickness scales as Ra−1/5, with the circulation and heat flux scaling as Ra1/5. These scalings hold for both rigid and shear-free boundary conditions on the top or on the other boundaries, which is initially surprising, but is because the return flow is dominated by a horizontal intrusion immediately beneath the top boundary layer. A downwelling plume also forms on one side, but because of strong stratification in the interior, the volume flux it carries is much smaller than that of the horizontal intrusion, decaying as the inverse of the depth below the top boundary. The fluid in the plume detrains into the interior and then returns to the top boundary, thus forming a ‘filling box’. We find analytic solutions for the interior temperature and streamfunction and match them to a similarity solution for the plume. At depths comparable to the length of the top boundary the streamfunction has O(1) values and the temperature variations scale as 1/Ra. Transient calculations with a large, but finite, Prandtl number, show how the steady state is reached from hot and cold initial conditions.