Flow Field Structure Research Articles

Multiphase flow dynamics in metal foam proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Porous metal foam holds substantial promise as a material for bipolar plates in high-performance proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) due to its exceptional properties in reactant redistribution. However, the intricate structure of metal foam flow field (MFF) presents challenges for mass transfer and water management. In this study, a three-dimensional two-phase flow model for metal foam is developed to analyze and capture flow patterns. MFFs are reconstructed based on detailed structural analysis and various pore sizes are discussed. Employing the Volume of Fluid (VOF) method, we delve into multiphase flow dynamics, specifically focusing on the removal of liquid droplets within the MFF. It reveals the MFF with moderate pore sizes exhibit a trade-off performance, striking a balance between optimal mass transfer and minimal parasitic loss. The porous structure's pivotal role is highlighted, contributing significantly to both through-plane and in-plane mass transfer and convection. Furthermore, we classify three flow patterns of liquid droplet, with the “split-up” pattern emerging as the most effective for water management and mass transfer. This study illuminates water behavior in porous metal foam bipolar plates, introduces a systematic methodology for assessing mass transfer and water management capabilities in MFFs for PEMFC.

Comparative analysis of the wake flow characteristics of single human and single column personnel walking indoors

The spread of pollutants caused by personnel walking is an important factor affecting the indoor environment. Investigating the disturbance of multiple personnel on the flow field is highly important. In this study, experimentation and numerical simulation are used to study the flow field and vortex structure of human wakes. Large eddy simulation (LES) is used to simulate the unsteady wake flow of single and single column personnel. The results show that due to secondary disturbances, the wake fluctuation region of single column personnel is larger than that of a single person, and the wake characteristics are more complex. Moreover, the wake vortex distribution of single column personnel is more discrete than that of a single person, and the vortex structure distribution region of single column personnel on the longitudinal section is twice that of a single person. The small-scale wake vortex is densely distributed, and the wake vortex dissipates faster.

Novel design method for inward-turning inlets with non-uniform inflow

For the integrated design of the forebody and hypersonic inlet, the non-uniform inflows generated by the forebody have significant impacts on the inlet performance. Traditional inlet designed by the Internal Conical Flow C (ICFC) flowfield or Method of Characteristics (MOC) flowfield, is difficult to match non-uniform inflows, which can easily lead to reduced captured flow and total pressure recovery. Hence, this paper proposes a novel design method for inward-turning inlets to overcome these problems. The key of this method is the parent flowfiled called the Internal Conical Flow N (ICFN). A multi-objective design optimization is integrated into the design of the two-dimensional ICFN flowfield, which enables the “design-optimization” to implement simultaneously. The new ICFN flowfield makes full use of the high compression effect and avoids the existence of Mach reflection at the focal point. Complete details of the design method of ICFN flowfield and inward-turning inlet are presented. The flowfield structure of ICFN flowfield and inlet are analyzed. Numerical simulation results indicate that the new inward-turning inlet can effectively increase captured flow and total pressure recovery. This reveals that the design method gained here can be usefully applied to the design of high-performance inward-turning inlets.

Effect of fluid–structure interaction on the oblique water entry of the projectile under the influence of floating ice structure

The water entry of a projectile constrained by polar floating ice presents a unique cross-media challenge. This paper investigates the dynamics of oblique water entry for a projectile influenced by floating ice using the fluid–structure interaction (FSI) method. The validity of the numerical method has been confirmed through experimental validation. The water entry process of a projectile from the side of the floating ice is examined. The evolution of the cavity and the movement patterns of objects as the distance between the projectile and the floating ice decreases toward collision are investigated. The influence of water on the critical collision distance between the projectile and the floating ice during oblique water entry is analyzed. Additionally, the physical mechanism of floating ice deflection through collision is investigated based on the theory of cavity dynamics. Subsequently, the study focuses on the oblique water entry process of a projectile colliding with the upper surface of the floating ice. Different entry angles determine the collision mode between the projectile and the floating ice surface. This study also examines how varying entry angles influence cavity evolution and object movement patterns during oblique collisions. Different collision modes between the projectile and the floating ice lead to asymmetric cavity evolution and various modes of object deflection motion. Finally, changes in the flow field and vortex structure during oblique collisions are studied to examine the influence of the FSI process between the projectile and the floating ice on the flow field.

Numerical simulation for non-uniform PtCo catalyst degradation under different coolant conditions and its effect on PEMFC performance

Long-term non-uniform temperature, pressure and reaction rates distributions in the proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) may result in local catalyst degradation and deteriorate PEMFC performance. However, the problem of non-uniform catalyst degradation in PEMFC stacks is still incompletely understood due to the lacking of advanced experimental methods and three-dimensional (3D) catalyst aging models. In this study, a 3D PtCo alloy catalyst degradation model under voltage cycles is built and a 25 cm2 PEMFC stack containing realistic cathode, anode as well as coolant flow fields is used as the computational domain to analyze in detail the influence of non-uniform catalyst degradation on the performance of the PEMFC during different coolant conditions. The simulation results show that the non-uniform catalyst degradation is strongly dependent on the cathode flow field structure. It can alleviate non-uniform catalyst degradation as well as contribute to improving PEMFC performance when the coolant flow direction is the same as the air, and both coolant flow rate and inlet temperature also are found to significantly affect the local catalyst degradation behavior. Therefore, an optimally designed cathode flow fields structure as well as good water and heat management during operation can help to extend the service life of the PEMFC.

The influence of pulse frequency on the energy evolution law and rock-breaking effect of pulsed abrasive water jet

Compared to continuous abrasive jet and high-pressure water jet, pulsed abrasive water jet can intermittently generate high water hammer pressure and is commonly used in applications such as coal mining and petroleum engineering for rock-breaking purposes. Pulse frequency is one of the key factors affecting the evolution of abrasive acceleration and jet impact energy, thereby influencing the system's energy transfer efficiency and cutting ability. The equation of motion for abrasive acceleration is established based on the two-phase flow theory, and the variation law of abrasive velocity with pulse frequency is solved. Fluent-EDEM (Extended Discrete Element Method) was used to simulate the abrasive water jet flow field structure and abrasive acceleration process under different pulse frequency conditions, and the intrinsic influence mechanism of pulse frequency on impact energy was clarified. Combined with rock-breaking experiments using pulsed abrasive water jets, the following conclusions are drawn: as the pulse frequency increases, the inertia of the abrasive makes it unable to respond in a timely manner to the high pulsation frequency of water, resulting in a reduction in the exchange rate of intermittent energy and a gradual decrease in the maximum velocity of the abrasive. This trend is more pronounced at a higher pulse frequency. Within the same time period, the cumulative impact energy of the pulsed abrasive water jet decreases first and then increases with the increase in pulse frequency, indicating the existence of an optimal impact frequency that maximizes the cumulative impact energy of the pulsed abrasive water jet. Under fixed jet pressure conditions and the same erosion time, the pulsed abrasive water jet with a frequency of 30 Hz exhibits the best rock-breaking capability.

Study on Wear Characteristics of a Guide Vane Centrifugal Pump Based on CFD–DEM

Guide vane submersible centrifugal pumps are a kind of submersible pump, and the fluid inside the pump is often mixed with gravel and other impurities during operation, affecting the pump’s operating efficiency and life expectancy. However, past studies on solid–liquid two-phase flow (STF) and wear characteristics in guided vane centrifugal pumps have been limited to the particle trajectory and wear region distribution. These studies have lacked research on the effect of particles on the fluid flow and the specific amount of wear on the overflow components. Additionally, most of them have used the DPM discrete-phase model, which does not consider the particle–particle and particle–wall interactions. This paper is based on the CFD–DEM method, combined with the Archard wear model. A solid–liquid two-phase flow simulation is carried out for pumps with different particle sizes and particle shapes to analyze the particle movement inside the pump, the wear distribution and average wear amount of the overflow components, and the effect of particles on the turbulent kinetic energy of the fluid. The results show that the particles mainly collide with the leading and trailing edges of the impeller blades and the leading edge of the guide vane blades and form a buildup at the trailing edge of the concave surface of the guide vane blades, resulting in the wear being mainly distributed in these regions. With an increase in particle size and a decrease in sphericity, the average wear on the overflow components increases. The change of particle size directly affects the resistance of the fluid and the structure of the flow field, which has a large impact on the fluid flow pattern and generates large turbulent kinetic energy fluctuations. The shape of the particles only changes the structure of the local flow field, which has a small impact on the fluid flow pattern.

Quenching extinction of solid sphere diffusion flames induced by a sudden removal of gravity

The response of a diffusion flame around a PMMA solid sphere to a sudden transition to zero-gravity is investigated both experimentally and numerically. The initial flame is established in normal gravity with a low speed forced flow in a 17% oxygen by volume atmosphere. An abrupt (step change) normal-to-zero gravity transition occurs when the test package is released in the drop tower. The dynamic flame response is recorded by video and modeled numerically. By the end of the 5.18-s drop, the flame tip retreats, and the flame base may either remain stabilized near the forward stagnation region or extinguish depending on several parameters. The two parameters investigated are: forced flow velocity and the degree of preheating in the surface layer of the solid sample. The amount of preheating or equivalently the conductive flame heat loss rate to the solid interior is varied by controlling the duration of the normal gravity burning before releasing to microgravity. The heat loss is quantified by using embedded thermocouples to measure the solid subsurface temperature gradient near the stagnation point. The detailed numerical model reveals details of the flow field and flame structure including oscillatory extinction and quantifies the various transient gas-solid surface energy balance terms.

Study on the Tip Leakage Loss Mechanism of a Compressor Cascade Using the Enhanced Delay Detached Eddy Simulation Method.

The leakage flow has a significant impact on the aerodynamic losses and efficiency of the compressor. This paper investigates the loss mechanism in the tip region based on a high-load cantilevered stator cascade. Firstly, a high-fidelity flow field structure was obtained based on the Enhanced Delay Detached Eddy Simulation (EDDES) method. Subsequently, the Liutex method was employed to study the vortex structures in the tip region. The results indicate the presence of a tip leakage vortex (TLV), passage vortex (PV), and induced vortex (IV) in the tip region. At i=4°,8°, the induced vortex interacts with the PV and low-energy fluid, forming a "three-shape" mixed vortex. Finally, a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the loss sources in the tip flow field was conducted based on the entropy generation rate, and the impact of the incidence on the losses was explored. The loss sources in the tip flow field included endwall loss, blade profile loss, wake loss, and secondary flow loss. At i=0°, the loss primarily originated from the endwall and blade profile, accounting for 40% and 39%, respectively. As the incidence increased, the absolute value of losses increased, and the proportion of loss caused by secondary flow significantly increased. At i=8°, the proportion of secondary flow loss reached 47%, indicating the most significant impact.

Numerical Study on the Influence of Separation Time Sequence on the Initial Thermal Separation

The process of separating stages is crucial for multistage rockets, directly influencing the success of the launch plan. Different separation timing methods alter the flow field structure within the interlevel zone at separation, influencing the separation of the two-stage rockets. This paper employs the SST k-ω turbulence model to investigate the structure of the flow field and its aerodynamic and motion characteristics under different nozzle baffle opening and separation times, taking into account variable properties, supersonic compressibility, and the upstream–downstream interference. First, we examined the standard flow field structure, considering the engine jet, the lateral jet between stages, and the disturbance from the external supersonic inflow. Then, we discussed the displacement characteristics and axial force coefficient curves of the first and second steps of the separation process. Finally, we explored the impact of baffle opening and separation times on the flow field structure and axial force coefficients of the two stages at the onset of separation. For the flow field structure, a delay in the baffle opening and separation moment led to a gradual increase in downstream and separation regions until they stabilized after a certain range. However, the axial force coefficients displayed different behavior before and after the design point.

Effects of three-dimensional type flow fields on mass transfer and performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Developing state-of-the-art bipolar plate structures, to optimize fluid distribution, is essential to achieve better cell performance. In this paper, a three-dimensional model of PEMFC is developed and two cathode-side flow field structures are designed: two-dimensional and three-dimensional types. The two-dimensional type is the traditional “bipolar plate + gas diffusion layer” flow field structure, easily resulting in uneven distribution of reactant gas and other problems. This study describes three novel three-dimensional type flow fields (metal foam, fine-mesh, and wire-mesh). Through comprehensive performance analysis using numerical simulations, it is found that the three-dimensional type flow fields significantly improve mass transfer and output performance compared to two-dimensional type flow fields. The proposed three-dimensional type flow fields create forced convective fluid flow. It further enhances the diffusion dispersion of reactant gas, thus making fuller use of the active region. Among them, the wire-mesh flow field shows the best performance in terms of oxygen distribution, water distribution and electrical properties. The net output power density produced is 0.75068 W cm−2, higher than parallel flow field by 32.78%.

Buzz Characteristics Under Fluid–Structure Interaction of Variable-Geometry Lip for Hypersonic Inlet

Variable-geometry lip structures can effectively broaden the operating range and improve the performance of hypersonic inlets. However, the presence of connection devices leads to a significant reduction in structural stiffness, which can easily trigger fluid–structure interaction (FSI) issues of the lip. In this study, an in-house FSI program is employed to investigate the buzz characteristics under FSI of the lip for a hypersonic inlet. The results indicate that FSI induces instability in the downstream shock train, resulting in the premature occurrence of inlet buzz. The buzz mode induced by FSI significantly differs from the rigid inlet buzz. During the buzz induced by FSI, both violent and mild buzz modes coexist, with these two modes irregularly alternating. During the violent buzz, the inlet achieves a brief start, leading to a fundamentally different evolution of the flowfield structure compared to the rigid model. During the mild buzz, the inlet remains unstart, so the evolution of the flowfield structure is similar to that of the rigid model. In comparison to the rigid inlet buzz, the amplitudes of pressure fluctuations significantly increase, and the dominant frequency decreases for the buzz induced by FSI. Simultaneously, different evolution characteristics of flow frequencies within various inlet regions are observed. Additionally, performance parameters no longer exhibit regular cyclic variations, with significant amplifications in their amplitudes. This study deepens the understanding of the buzz characteristics under FSI of lips for hypersonic inlets and provides a novel perspective on the mechanisms underlying buzz occurrence.

Numerical study on transient coke deposition and heat transfer characteristics of hydrocarbon fuel in a mini-channel under varying wall heat flux

Dynamic coke deposition has significant influence on flow and heat transfer characteristics of regenerative cooling using hydrocarbon fuel. In the present work, the effect of coke deposition on flow and heat transfer performance of hydrocarbon fuel, n-Decane is numerically investigated under different heating modes including the constant heat flux (CHF), the periodic heat flux (PHF) and staged heat flux (SHF). The results show that as the heating mode varies from CHF to SHF, locally high temperature zones are formed. The flow field structure is varied by dynamic heating condition and coke deposition. The reaction rate of n-Decane also varies periodically with heat flux, resulting in an irregular “S” shaped density distribution. The two main coke precursors i.e., propylene and aromatics are highly sensitive to temperature due to secondary reactions. The thickness of coke deposition increases significantly with time regardless of the heating modes, which indicates that coke deposition process is irreversible. Compared with CHF heating mode, the thickness of coke deposition increases by nearly 25% for the SHF heating mode. Coking mechanism undergoes transition from catalytic coke to lateral coke with increasing temperature. For the CHF heating mode, the heat transfer coefficient increases from 1200 W/(m2·K) to 4400 W/(m2·K) along the flow direction. The PHF and SHF heating modes render higher Nusselt number and heat transfer coefficient than the CHF heating mode as the periodically varying wall heat flux results in locally higher heat flux and smaller temperature difference between the fluid and solid zones. In addition, the thermal conductivity and flow velocity in the regenerative cooling channel are also enhanced for the PHF and SHF heating modes. However, coke deposition leads to serious heat transfer deterioration for PHF and SHF with a decrease of up to 13% in heat transfer coefficient adjacent to the outlet section of the cooling channel. The new heat transfer correlation considering chemical reaction and coke deposition effects of supercritical hydrocarbon fuel is established for different wall heating conditions.

Enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting via 3D flow field structure: Unveiling the decisive role of interfacial mass transfer

The efficiency of photoelectrochemical water splitting is not only related to the electrode material, but also influenced by the mass transport at the electrode surface. Here, we design a novel photoelectrochemical water splitting reactor, which generates a turbulent flow (0–145 mL/min) at the electrode/electrolyte interface. It was revealed that the reactor has a significant effect on the electrolyte flow, and the flow rate on the photocurrent density was more significant during the transition period of the flow state and the high flow rate. The 3D flow field structure improved the water splitting reaction of TiO2 photoelectrode by 130% at the flow rate of 130 mL/min, and consequently, the TiO2 exhibited a photocurrent density of 0.142 mA·cm−2 at 1.23 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode. Then we changed the temperature (20–90 °C) of the electrolyte, and electrochemical impedance spectra results indicated that the ion transport impedance decreased with increasing electrolyte temperature in the experimental range. The photocurrent density increased by about 2.2 times at 90 °C compared to that at 20 °C. This work provided insights of the structure design on the photoelectrode/electrolyte interface in solar water splitting and revealed the non-negligible effect of interfacial mass transport in photoelectrochemical performance.

Large eddy simulation of non-premixed flame behavior and NOx emission characteristics in a staged combustor with multi-swirling flows

This study utilizes Large Eddy Simulation (LES) to investigate flame characteristics and NOx emission generation in a concentric staged combustor with three distinct pilot swirler arrangements. We examine the effects of multi-swirling flow on the instantaneous flow field and flame characteristics using the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) method, and assess how variations in swirler structures influence thermoacoustic instability. Furthermore, a comparison of NOx emissions between two pilot swirler configurations, with similar mean flow field and flame characteristics, highlights the precessing vortex core's role in NOx emissions. Compared to a single-swirler setup, a double-swirler configuration produces a more distinct single precessing vortex core, thereby amplifying thermoacoustic instability. The extended venturi structure in the double-swirler setup mitigates the development of the swirl-induced vortex core, reducing thermoacoustic instability. However, the expansion section in this setup impedes initial fuel and air mixing, leading to an extended flame length, which in turn results in higher NOx emissions due to a more concentrated temperature distribution. With similar mean flow field and flame structure, the double-swirler combustor proves more effective in reducing NO emissions than the triple-swirler combustor.

Swirl-induced motion prediction with physics-guided machine learning utilizing spatiotemporal flow field structure

PurposeHigher energy conversion efficiency of internal combustion engine can be achieved with optimal control of unsteady in-cylinder flow fields inside a direct-injection (DI) engine. However, it remains a daunting task to predict the nonlinear and transient in-cylinder flow motion because they are highly complex which change both in space and time. Recently, machine learning methods have demonstrated great promises to infer relatively simple temporal flow field development. This paper aims to feature a physics-guided machine learning approach to realize high accuracy and generalization prediction for complex swirl-induced flow field motions.Design/methodology/approachTo achieve high-fidelity time-series prediction of unsteady engine flow fields, this work features an automated machine learning framework with the following objectives: (1) The spatiotemporal physical constraint of the flow field structure is transferred to machine learning structure. (2) The ML inputs and targets are efficiently designed that ensure high model convergence with limited sets of experiments. (3) The prediction results are optimized by ensemble learning mechanism within the automated machine learning framework.FindingsThe proposed data-driven framework is proven effective in different time periods and different extent of unsteadiness of the flow dynamics, and the predicted flow fields are highly similar to the target field under various complex flow patterns. Among the described framework designs, the utilization of spatial flow field structure is the featured improvement to the time-series flow field prediction process.Originality/valueThe proposed flow field prediction framework could be generalized to different crank angle periods, cycles and swirl ratio conditions, which could greatly promote real-time flow control and reduce experiments on in-cylinder flow field measurement and diagnostics.

The swirl and pyrolysis reaction synergistically enhance solid-solid heat transfer and product separation in cyclone pyrolyzer

Cyclone pyrolyzer is a novel type of downer that combines centrifugal force field and double-layer cyclone vortex. Research on transfer behavior is helpful to optimize the pyrolyzer to meet the needs of pyrolysis. In this study, the Computational Particle Fluid Dynamics (CPFD) model is used to analyze the transfer behavior of binary particles, and finds that the swirl and reaction have a synergistic effect. This effect can increase the heating rate of the particles to the range of flash pyrolysis, and its mechanism lies in the flow field structure of the pyrolyzer. Due to the centrifugal force field, the particles gather to the near wall. The rapid swirl, which facilitates intense gas-solid heat transfer, leads to the rapid heating and pyrolysis of biomass particles. As the pyrolysis proceeds, the mass of the biomass particles becomes smaller and they are more easily affected by the gas flow in pyrolyzer. Under the action of gas flow, char particles serve as new heat carrier to form the inner cycle of particles, which strengthens the heating process. The pyrolysis products are discharged from the exhaust port in time with the flow field of the pyrolyzer to achieve separation from the heat carrier and inhibit the occurrence of secondary reactions.

Investigation of longitudinal airflow characteristics in an aircraft cabin based on angle of attack

As an important means of transportation, an aircraft’s environmental control system plays an important role in ensuring the health and thermal comfort of the cabin environment. To guarantee sufficient lift during flight, the aircraft cabin needs to have a certain angle of attack with the horizontal direction. In this study, the flow field, temperature field and vortex structure characteristics of the cabin were analysed using a scaled 28-row cabin model and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) under different angles of attack (15° and 8°) conditions. The results show that the velocity and temperature in the local area in the longitudinal section were increased when the angle of attack was increased. Compared with the horizontal state (angle of attack 0°), the longitudinal airflow under the condition of a larger angle of attack was enhanced. The overall trend of forward airflow is presented in this paper. The longitudinal airflow would strengthen the separation of the large vortex at the top of the cabin. The vortex structure shows high instability in different times and spaces.

A numerical and experimental investigation into the mixing mechanism of hydrogen transverse jets into an air swirl flow

As a clean fuel with the advantages of abundant reserves, high calorific value, renewability, and zero carbon emissions, hydrogen has broad application prospects in the fields of energy and power. Moreover, the mixing characteristics of hydrogen and air play a crucial role in determining combustion performance. A novel mixing method of hydrogen transverse jets into an air swirl flow was investigated via numerical and experimental approaches. The Schlieren technique and high-speed photography were employed in the experiments. The effects of various swirl numbers and jet momentum flux ratios on the flow field structure, its transient characteristics, and mixing properties were studied. The research results indicate that the complex vortex structure in the mean flow field is jointly affected by the swirl number and the jet momentum flux ratio. An increase in the jet momentum flux ratio has distinct effects on the flow unsteadiness for different swirl numbers, and there exists a critical value of the jet momentum flux ratio that substantially affects the degree of mixing and a characteristic length suitable for normalization of the axial coordinates when describing the centerline concentration decay. This study provides a reference and basis for further research on combustion in air swirl flows of hydrogen transverse jets.

Kinematics and aerodynamic analysis in the turning flights of butterflies

This study investigates the free-turning flight of butterflies (Idea leuconoe) and analyze the influence of body posture and asymmetric motions of left and right wings on aerodynamics and the asymmetric flow field structure. Three high-speed cameras were used in the biological experiment to observe the turning flight motions, and varied motion angles were calculated. The results showed that the body started to tilt to the right at 0.3 cycles and the flapping amplitude of the inner wing increased by 20.31% relative to the outer wing during a cycle. The outer wing showed a forward-then-backward deviation, whereas the inner wing exhibited the opposite trend. A three-dimensional numerical model with six degrees of freedom and prescribed motion functions was constructed to simulate the flight of butterflies. The results revealed that the roll angle was the primary factor influencing the direction of aerodynamic forces and had a similar mechanism as the banked turn of a fixed wing. During the downstroke, the outer wing provided the normal force while the inner wing contributed to the vertical force, and both wings generated horizontal thrust during the upstroke. The asymmetric wing motions and the lateral inflow velocity were the two major factors affecting the flow field structure. The difference in flapping amplitudes caused the inner wing to generate greater vertical-normal resultant force first. The asymmetric forewing-deviation angle and the lateral flow influenced the direction of the spanwise flow to enhance the strength of the leading-edge vortex and stabilize the attached flow for the outer wing.