Three-dimensional Numerical Simulations Research Articles

Dynamic large-eddy simulation of hypersonic transition delay over broadband wall impedance

Three-dimensional numerical simulations of hypersonic boundary layer transition delay due to porosity representative of carbon-fibre-reinforced carbon-matrix ceramics (C/C) were carried out on a 7 $^{\circ {}}$ half-angle cone for unit Reynolds numbers $Re_m=2.43 \times 10^6$ – $6.40\times 10^6\ \text {m}^{-1}$ , at the free-stream Mach number $M_\infty =7.4$ , for both sharp and 2.5 mm nose tip radii. A broadband time-domain impedance boundary condition was used to model the acoustic effects of the porous surface on the flow field. A quasi-spectral sub-filter-scale dynamic closure was adopted to stabilize the computations upon turbulent breakdown under extreme cooling conditions, with wall-to-adiabatic temperature ratio of $T_{w}/ T_{ad} \simeq 0.08 $ , while accurately recovering the growth rates of the unstable modes present in the early transition stages. Good agreement is observed with the reference experimental data, both in terms of the predicted extent of the transition delay and the measured second-mode frequency spectrum. The latter is strongly modulated by the formation of near-wall low-temperature three-dimensional streaks. Pressure disturbances concentrate in corridors of locally thickened boundary layer, with frequencies lower than what predicted by linear theory. Here, trapped wavetrains are formed, which can persist long into the turbulent region. Finally, it is shown that the presence of a porous wall simply shifts the onset of turbulence downstream, without affecting its structure.

Three-dimensional quasi-complete information numerical simulation of gravity anomalies and parallel computing on CPU-GPU

Abstract In order to improve the efficiency and accuracy of numerical simulation of gravity anomalies in large-scale complex models, this paper proposes a method for three-dimensional numerical simulation of gravity anomalies under arbitrary terrain, and implements its CPU-GPU parallel acceleration scheme. By performing a two-dimensional Fourier transform along the horizontal direction, three-dimensional partial differential satisfied by gravitational potential are transformed into one-dimensional ordinary differential equations in different wavenumbers, reducing computational and storage requirements. Moreover, the ordinary differential equations in different wavenumbers are independent of each other and have good parallelism. By retaining the vertical direction as the spatial domain and introducing traveling wave decomposition, the effects caused by upper and lower boundaries are eliminated. The vertical grid is arbitrary. A two-dimensional quasi-complete information Fourier transform is utilized to enhance both the accuracy and efficiency of the Fourier transform process, allowing both uniform and non-uniform flexible sampling. Based on the high parallelism, one-dimensional ordinary differential equations are solved in parallel using CPU, and quasi-complete information Fourier transform are computed in parallel using GPU. An abnormal sphere is designed to analyze the wavenumber spectral distribution characteristics of the anomalous potential and summarize the wavenumber sampling rules. The logarithmic uniform sampling in the wavenumber domain has high accuracy. Compared with Gauss-FFT, the quasi-complete information Fourier transform selects fewer wavenumbers and exhibits higher accuracy. The computational efficiency is greatly enhanced through the use of single-precision CPU-GPU parallel scheme, and a model with tens of millions of nodes only takes a few seconds. Two terrain models are designed to verify the algorithm’s adaptability to arbitrary complex terrains. This is significant for achieving fine inversion imaging and interpretation of gravity anomalies under large-scale complex conditions.

Preliminary Assessments of Geotechnical Seismic Isolation Design Properties

This paper proposes a method to investigate the design properties of geotechnical seismic isolation (GSI). This technique has been the object of many research contributions, both experimental and numerical. However, methods that may be used by practitioners for design procedures are still unavailable. The formulation presented herein may be used for preliminary assessments of two important properties: the thickness and the shear wave velocity. Three-dimensional advanced numerical simulations were performed with the state-of-the-art platform OpenSees in order to verify the analytical formulation on a benchmark case study. The elongation ratio has been taken as the relevant parameter to discuss the efficiency of GSI in decoupling the soil from the structure. The main findings consist of assessing the dependency of the elongation ratio on two parameters: the thickness and the shear velocity of the GSI layer. In this regard, a novel formulation was proposed in order to make preliminary design assessments that can be used by practitioners for practical applications.

Research on the Dynamic Response of a Bedding Rock Slope Reinforced by Pile–Anchor Structures Under Earthquakes: A Case Study of a Section of the Duyun-Shangri-La Expressway Project in Ludian County, Yunnan Province, China

Pile and anchor structures are extensively employed for slope stabilization. However, their dynamic response under seismic loading remains unclear and current seismic designs primarily use the pseudo-static method. Here, a three-dimensional numerical simulation of the dynamic behavior of a bedding rock slope supported by pile–anchor systems under earthquakes is conducted. The dynamic calculation for the slope subjected to seismic forces with varying excitation directions and acceleration amplitudes is performed. The dynamic behavior of both the slope and the pile–anchor system is investigated with respect to the slope’s failure mode, the dynamic soil pressure behind the pile, the anchor axial force, the bending moment, and the lateral displacement of the pile. The results indicate that the anti-slide piles cause a reflective and superposition effect on seismic waves within weak rock layers. As the input seismic intensity increases, the axial force in the anchor cables also increases, with the peak axial force occurring during the main energy phase of the seismic waves. The dynamic soil pressure acting behind the piles varies with the stratification of the slope rock layers, with lower peak dynamic earth pressure observed in weak layers. The weak layers on the slope surface experience through-shear failure. Under strong seismic loading, the structural element state undergoes significant changes.

Intrinsic characteristics of three-dimensional flow around a wall-mounted conical cylinder

To investigate the flow characteristics around a wall-mounted conical cylinder, three-dimensional direct numerical simulations are carried out for a conical cylinder with an end diameter ratio ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 at three low Reynolds numbers (Re = 100, 150, 200). The flow features are examined in terms of time-mean streamlines, singularity points location, topological structure, time-mean streamwise vortices, and instantaneous spanwise vortices denoted with different vortex identification methods. The downwash effect also happens even without a free end. The upwash streamlines clash with the downwash streamlines and then coalesce to the saddle (impingement) point P2. The occurrence of the symmetry plane belongs to a new topology, where the saddle point on the bottom wall is an attachment point (NA), instead of the separation point (SS). The singular point verifies the topological existence of the attachment–attachment combination of the horseshoe vortex system. The “Quadrupole Type,” “Sextupole Type,” and “Octupole Type” are identified. The “Octupole Type” is reported first, consisting of a pair of “time-mean streamwise tip vortices,” two pairs of “time-mean streamwise base vortices” and a pair of “time-mean streamwise bottom vortices.” Moreover, the vorticity magnitude cannot represent the occurrence of vortices. The instantaneous iso-surfaces of Q = 0.2 and λ2 = –0.2 in the wake are similar to the threshold of Ω = 0.52. In contrast, the Liutex/Rortex method is easier to identify the streamwise bottom vortices than the former two methods.

Pressure-equilibrium semi-implicit solver for real fluids

In this study, a semi-implicit pressure-based scheme which can suppress the spurious pressure oscillations is developed for real fluid flows. Conservation properties relevant to the proposed scheme are investigated through one-dimensional numerical simulations of the nitrogen interface advection. The efficiency and validity of this scheme are carefully examined with two- and three-dimensional numerical simulations of cryogenic nitrogen jets. From the one-dimensional simulation results, the conservation properties are well conserved as the past studies. The two-dimensional simulation results show that the developed scheme can reduce the computational cost by more than 92% (13–14 times faster) compared with the conventional density-based explicit solver employing the double flux model. It is also found that, through the three-dimensional simulation results, the developed scheme can predict the structure of the nitrogen jet under both transcritical and supercritical conditions, while taking into account the effects of real fluid properties on the mixing and spatiotemporal evolution of this jet, with excellent accuracy.

Numerical simulation and intelligent prediction of a 500 t/d municipal solid waste incinerator

After classifying municipal solid waste (MSW), understanding how changes in its characteristics affect the incineration process becomes essential. Optimizing and adjusting operating parameters is crucial to ensure the smooth operation of MSW incinerators. In this study, we developed a three-dimensional numerical simulation model for a 500 t/d MSW incinerator, based on a two-fluid model that accounts for grate motion. We examined the effects of load and moisture on the combustion process. Using the results from the numerical simulation and on-site operational data, we established a machine learning model to predict incinerator conditions based on load, waste particle size, and moisture content. The average relative errors for the training and test sets were approximately 0.33 % and 0.44 %, respectively. Finally, we compared the influence of different operating parameters on flue gas temperature. Our numerical simulation model and intelligent prediction method offer valuable guidance for optimizing existing MSW incinerators and designing new ones.

Tectonic modes of mantle convection and their implications for Earth’s tectonic evolution based on three-dimensional numerical simulations

Tectonic modes of mantle convection and their implications for Earth’s tectonic evolution based on three-dimensional numerical simulations

Dynamics of U(1) gauged Q -balls in three spatial dimensions

We investigate the dynamics of U(1) gauged Q-balls using fully three-dimensional numerical simulations. We consider two different scenarios: first, the classical stability of gauged Q-balls with respect to generic three-dimensional perturbations, and second, the behavior of gauged Q-balls during head-on and off-axis collisions at relativistic velocities. With regard to stability, we find that there exist gauged Q-ball configurations which are classically stable in both logarithmic and polynomial scalar field models. With regard to relativistic collisions, we find that the dynamics can depend on many different parameters such as the collision velocity, relative phase, relative charge, and impact parameter of the colliding Q-balls. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Fluid Force Reduction and Flow Structure at a Coastal Building with Different Outer Frame Openings Following Primary Defensive Alternatives: An Experiment-Based Review

A well-constructed tsunami evacuation facility can be crucial in a disaster. Understanding a tsunami’s force and the flow structure variation across various building configurations are essential to engineering designs. Hence, this study assessed the steady-state flow structure at building models (BM) incorporating outer frame openings, including piloti-type designs with a different width-to-spacing ratio of piloti-type columns following an embankment model (EM) with a vegetation model (VM). The experiments also demonstrated the outer frame opening percentage’s impact and orientation toward the overtopping tsunami flow at the BM. The results show that the arrangement of an opening on the outer frame and the piloti-type columns are critical in reducing the tsunami force concerning the experimental setup. Moreover, allowing a free surface flow beneath the BM implies that the correct piloti-pillar arrangement is crucial for resilient structure design. In addition, the three-dimensional numerical simulation was utilized to explain the turbulence intensity of the overtopping flow around the critical BM type. The derived resistance coefficient (CR) defined the drag and the hydrostatic characteristics at the BM due to the overtopping tsunami flow. Furthermore, for the impervious BM, the value CR was consistent with the previous studies, while the CR value for the BMs with an outer frame opening was directly coincident with the percentage of porosity.

Optimizing Flow and Heat Transfer With Guiding Pin Fins in a Wedge-Shaped Cooling Channel for Gas Turbine Blade Trailing Edge

Abstract In this study, an innovative guiding pin-fin array optimization has been developed through three-dimensional numerical simulations to enhance the cooling efficiency of gas turbine blade trailing edge. The guiding pin-fin array is optimized using the Kriging surrogate model and Genetic Algorithm (GA), aiming to significantly improve the heat transfer rates and uniformity within the wedge-shaped channel. The design parameter chosen for optimization is the deflection angle of each guiding pin fin, and the optimization process is conducted in two rounds. The first-round optimization yields a first-optimized guiding pin-fin array, which exhibits superior overall heat transfer performance and reasonable pressure loss compared to conventional circular, oblong, and parallel pin-fin arrays. For the first-optimized guiding pin-fin (1st-OGP) channel at the Reynolds number of Re = 50,000, the total Nusselt number and pressure loss are 44.1% higher and 9.9% lower than those of the baseline circular pin-fin array (CP), respectively. An experimental validation using the transient liquid crystal (TLC) thermography method is carried out and proves the effectiveness of the optimization process. However, it is noted that the first-optimized guiding pin-fin exhibits even lower heat transfer at a low Reynolds number of Re = 10,000, particularly in the channel middle region, which is mainly due to the incapable turning flow control in the root region of the wedged channel. To address this issue and further improve the heat transfer performance at low Reynolds numbers, a second-round optimization is performed by specifically adjusting the deflection angle of the selected guiding pin fins near the root region of the wedged channel. This secondary optimization demonstrates significant heat transfer improvements over the whole studied Reynolds number range with a reasonably reduced consumption of computational resources. The total Nusselt number and pressure loss are 69.3% higher and 11.9% lower than those of the baseline circular pin-fin array, respectively, at Re = 50,000. The optimization process proposed in this paper produces a high-performance cooling structure design with elaborate guiding pin-fin arrangements in the wedge-shaped channel, which indicates high heat transfer enhancement and relatively lower pressure loss in the wedged channel for the turbine blade trailing edge.

The Effect of Dam Break Speed on Flood Evolution in a Downstream Reservoir of a Cascade Reservoir System

The dam break flood is one of the potential causes of catastrophic events in cascade hydropower hub groups. Investigating the movement patterns of dam break flooding among reservoir groups under different dam break speeds is crucial for flood prevention and emergency response. In this study, the evolution characteristics of dam break floods were investigated in a cascading reservoir system, focusing on different break speeds of the upstream dam. The results indicate that the dam break speed determines the concavity or convexity of the water level curve changes in the upstream reservoir. Accordingly, dam breaks are classified into three modes: instant dam break, fast dam break, and slow dam break. An approximate critical speed has been identified to differentiate between the fast dam break and slow dam break. Further investigation into the evolution patterns of dam break floods in downstream reservoirs under different break modes was conducted. Correspondingly, the flood peak discharge and peak arrival time of the dam break floods vary differently with break speed under different break modes. Finally, a theoretical analysis for the flood peak discharge at the dam site during gradual dam break at a certain speed was established, which is able to predict the over-dam flood peak discharge in fast and slow dam break modes. This study is based on a combination of laboratory flume experiments and three-dimensional numerical simulations. This study has theoretical significance for the reinforcement of public infrastructure safety and the prevention of natural disasters.

3D simulation estimation and experimental validation of droplet generation in CFD-based flow-focusing microfluidic chips

Abstract Microdroplets generated using microfluidic techniques offer significant advantages over those generated using conventional methods, including high accuracy and excellent monodispersity. However, there remains a paucity of literature regarding the influence of fluid operating conditions and physical properties on droplet generation, specifically in relation to size and frequency, using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques. In this study, we present a simplified microfluidic chip capable of flexibly adjusting the structure and size of the microchannels based on specific requirements. Subsequently, three-dimensional numerical simulations of this chip were conducted using CFD techniques and fitted a dimensionless model to estimate the droplet generation size and frequency through multivariate nonlinear regression methods. The experimental validation results demonstrated a strong correlation between the fitted data and the experimental observations, with size differences not exceeding 8% and good monodispersity, indicated by a coefficient of variation of less than 2.4%. This study provides valuable insights and a reference for future research.

Numerical simulation of deposit-landslide instability induced by water level decrease: a case study of RS deposit in Lancang River

Changes in reservoir water level often trigger landslides along the reservoir banks, which are common geological hazards that significantly affect the construction and operation of hydropower projects. In this paper, the stability of the RS reservoir landslide in the southwestern region of China is investigated. A discrete element seepage analysis model is constructed based on the theory of changes in the infiltration surface of the deposit caused by water level drawdown. The model is then embedded into a continuous-discontinuous three-dimensional numerical simulation method to systematically investigate the influence of reservoir water level decrease on the stability of the RS deposit. The results indicate that, under the condition of a sudden drop in reservoir water level decrease, the deposit experiences destabilization failure. Its sliding velocities are mainly influenced by seepage forces and gravity, while sliding displacements are influenced by seepage forces and topographic conditions. The landslide process shows distinct stratification characteristics. The portion of the deposit that slides into the river channel is mainly distributed between an altitude of 2655 m and 2870 m. The research results provide a scientific basis for studying the mechanism of slope failure and landslide disaster chain under the condition of reservoir water level lowering.

Three-Dimensional Numerical Simulation of High-Speed Shear Crushing of High-Density Fluid

Plasma atomization is a technology that can produce high sphericity, small particle diameters, and high-purity copper powder, which is of great significance for the development of metal additive manufacturing. At present, although plasma atomization can realize the industrial preparation of spherical copper powder, there are still some problems, such as unclear understanding of the atomization process and a lack of theoretical support for powder quality control. This leads to the inability to predict the average particle diameter of powder in advance based on the actual atomization conditions and to optimize the process parameters, which seriously affects the further development of the plasma atomization process. We mainly studied the non-stationary simulation of a DC argon plasma torch. The purpose of this paper was to study the specific influence law of the average particle diameter of the powder in the process of plasma atomization by means of numerical simulation and experimental observation. The aim was to establish the mapping relationship between the atomization condition and the average particle diameter of the powder and realize the controllable preparation of the plasma atomized powder. At the same time, we used industrial-grade plasma atomization equipment to carry out pulverizing experiments to verify the plasma atomization theory and the powder average particle diameter control scheme proposed in this paper, thus proving the reliability of this study.

A unifying bubble-layer-based theoretical model for flow boiling and application to a rod bundle

Current analyses of flow boiling primarily utilize two−/three-dimensional numerical simulations or one-dimensional empirical correlations/models. To develop a quasi-two-dimensional theoretical model, a unifying bubble-layer-based theoretical model is proposed, which can be applicable to the entire flow boiling process, from the single-phase liquid flow to the dryout point. This model considers bubble behaviors in each region and heat and mass transfer at the interfaces of two regions, consisting of conservation equations of mass, momentum, and energy, supplemented by a few empirical correlations. A sensitivity analysis of these correlations is conducted, revealing that the slip ratio correlation and bubble condensation rate correlation have the most significant impacts. Using experimental data on void fraction, the most accurate combination of empirical correlations is identified, with a total absolute error of 27.9 %. The verification ranges are 0.1-8Mpa for pressure, 182-1700 kW/m2 for heat flux, 240-2200 kg/m2s for mass flux, 0.83–1.76 for Prandtl number, and 4.4e3–2.98e5 for Reynold number. Finally, this model is applied to the analysis of the NHR200-II rod bundle, revealing the variations of several two-phase parameters under micro-boiling conditions and the influence of operating conditions on the length proportion of different flow sections, serving as important references for analyzing the impact of boiling on reactor reactivity.

Influence of the number of guide vane blades on the energy conversion characteristics of gas-liquid mixing pumps

Abstract To investigate the optimal number of guide vanes for peak performance efficiency in a mixing pump, this study employs a self-engineered gas-liquid mixing pump to the principal subject of analysis. adopts SST κ -ω turbulence model, Euler multiphase flow model and SIMPLEC algorithm, and conducts three-dimensional flow field numerical simulation under five operating conditions with the number of guide vane of the gas-liquid mixing pump as 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, and 17, and the volume gas content as 10% to 50%, respectively. Volume gas content were 10% ∼ 50% of the five conditions for three-dimensional flow field numerical simulation, the experimental findings indicate that: with an increase in the number of guide vane blades, the efficiency of the pump’s secondary impeller varies in a cubic function relationship. When the gas content at the inlet is between 10% and 20%, efficiency is highest with 9 blades. When the gas content at the inlet is between 30% and 50%, efficiency is highest with 15 blades. Additionally, when there are 9 blades, the head of the secondary impeller reaches its maximum at different gas contents at the inlet.

Magneto-Stokes flow in a shallow free-surface annulus

In this study, we analyse ‘magneto-Stokes’ flow, a fundamental magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow that shares the cylindrical-annular geometry of the Taylor–Couette cell but uses applied electromagnetic forces to circulate a free-surface layer of electrolyte at low Reynolds numbers. The first complete, analytical solution for time-dependent magneto-Stokes flow is presented and validated with coupled laboratory and numerical experiments. Three regimes are distinguished (shallow-layer, transitional and deep-layer flow regimes), and their influence on the efficiency of microscale mixing is clarified. The solution in the shallow-layer limit belongs to a newly identified class of MHD potential flows, and thus induces mixing without the aid of axial vorticity. We show that these shallow-layer magneto-Stokes flows can still augment mixing in distinct Taylor dispersion and advection-dominated mixing regimes. The existence of enhanced mixing across all three distinguished flow regimes is predicted by asymptotic scaling laws and supported by three-dimensional numerical simulations. Mixing enhancement is initiated with the least electromagnetic forcing in channels with order-unity depth-to-gap-width ratios. If the strength of the electromagnetic forcing is not a constraint, then shallow-layer flows can still yield the shortest mixing times in the advection-dominated limit. Our robust description of momentum evolution and mixing of passive tracers makes the annular magneto-Stokes system fit for use as an MHD reference flow.

Numerical simulation of miniature high-speed aviation fuel pump using immersed solid method

Abstract Aviation fuel pumps are developing toward lightweight design and high rotational speeds at the same time that vehicles, such as missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), gradually get smaller. To investigate the internal flow field characteristics of a miniature aviation gear pump under conditions of high rotational speed, three-dimensional numerical simulations are conducted using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software ANSYS CFX. The simulations use the immersed-solid method and employ the SST k-ω turbulence model. The findings reveal that under identical conditions, augmenting the tooth width by 1mm leads to a notable 27.32% increase in the average outlet flow rate and a corresponding enhancement of 7.22% in maximum efficiency. Furthermore, a 2mm increment in tooth width results in a substantial surge of 62.74% in the average outlet flow rate and a significant enhancement of 14.61% in maximum efficiency. Nevertheless, concurrently, the augmentation of tooth width corresponds with a gradual rise in trapped oil pressure and significant deterioration of the internal flow field. The study findings offer valuable insights into the integrated design of the oil supply system and engine components of aerospace engines.

Effect of volute structure on the performance of double suction centrifugal pump

Abstract This study aims to investigate the impact of the double volute structure on the internal flow dynamics and hydraulic performance of a double-suction pump. To achieve this, a double-suction centrifugal pump was selected as the research subject, and three-dimensional turbulence numerical simulations were conducted under various working conditions using the Reynolds average method (RANS) and RNG k-ε turbulence model. The results of the simulation are compared with the experimental data, which demonstrates the validity of the numerical simulation. This study analyzes the impact of the splitter on the flow field within the volute and impeller, as well as its effect on the radial force of the impeller. The results indicate that the water flow has a significant impact on the head of the splitter, resulting in a noticeable high-pressure zone on the pressure side of the blade in close proximity to the starting end of the splitter; Under off-design conditions, a significant recirculation zone exists between the end of the splitter and the pump outlet, and it increases as the deviation from the designed condition increases; In the case of a small flow rate, the flow inhomogeneity near the starting end of the splitter is serious, and there are large zones of low speed on the outside of the splitter; The double volute structure can make the inlet velocity of the volute more evenly distributed along the circumferential direction, and can be effectively utilized to reduce the radial force exerted on the impeller, thereby improving its performance.